Elaborate Lives
by HPfanonezillion
Summary: Katniss had a normal life, two kids, a husband, and a great job. But it all turned upside down when she shook hands with Peeta and got the literal shock of her life. So how can they handle this delicate situation without destroying their lives in the process?
1. Chapter 1

_Author's note: I promised myself no more WIPs, but I couldn't shake this idea. It started out as a thought about a crossover of sorts with the musical Aida using the reincarnation aspect implied in the play and morphed into something much bigger. The title of this comes from one of the songs in the show. You should go look it up. Very angsty! I hope you enjoy! I'd love to hear your thoughts. And if you are a fan of Aida, come fangirl with me on Tumblr (booksrockmyface)._

 _Huge thanks to my beta everlylark for jumping right on board with this and helping me get some thoughts in order ready for the rest of this monster! You guys need to go check out her work! Totally worth the read!_

 _Another thanks goes out to everyone that follows me on Tumblr or have been liking and reblogging all the stuff I've been posting about this. I hope this is everything you expect and more!_

 _Happy reading!_

Elaborate Lives

Everlark Soulmate AU

Chapter One

Everything was dark. Pitch black. Katniss looked all around frantically, reaching out to feel the walls of the small space. They were rough stone. And it was small, growing smaller by the minute. The air was thick in her lungs. She couldn't breathe. She opened her mouth over and over, but nothing.

Katniss awoke gasping for air, gulping down great lungfuls until she felt Gale's hand on her leg. She looked over to see his sleepy eyes.

"You're okay." He assured her. "Just the dream." He pulled her back down and she stared up at the ceiling as he traced the length of her arm. "You want to talk about it?"

"I've talked about it enough." She said softly.

Their bedroom door opened slowly and a pair of bright gray eyes peeked around it. "Mama? Daddy? Can I come sleep with you?"

Katniss nodded and held her arms out. "Sure. Come here, baby."

Rebecca climbed in between her parents and burrowed under the blanket into Gale's side, as she usually did. Katniss combed her fingers through the girl's brown hair and looked over her head to her husband.

Gale lifted a hand and stroked Katniss's cheek in the dark. "No more bad dreams."

She shook her head and closed her eyes, her arm wrapped securely around their daughter's waist. There was no way she was getting back to sleep tonight. So she pretended, listening to the others breathing and snoring softly beside her.

She'd had the dream since before she could remember. Her mother used to tell her that even as a baby she would wake up screaming and there was no consoling her. She never got farther than the darkness and the suffocation. Once, she thought that she heard someone whispering to her, but she'd awakened with Gale talking in his sleep and told herself that had made its way into her dream.

Samantha pushed open the door just as Katniss had decided to give up on sleep and climbed into the tiny space beside her mother. Katniss loved that her older daughter still got into the bed beside her some Saturday mornings.

Katniss kissed Sam's forehead and whispered, "Did you start my coffee?"

Samantha snorted. "No. You can make your own coffee."

"Oh, you're such a loving daughter, Sam-Sam." Katniss teased. "What did I do to deserve you?"

Gale chuckled on the other side of the bed and mumbled, "Ungrateful spawn."

"I'll make coffee, Daddy." Becca said with her sweet, high voice. "Mama showed me how to push the buttons." She sat up. "But first I have to pee." She looked around frantically and then crawled over Gale and ran out of the room.

Samantha laughed. "I'll make sure she doesn't burn herself."

Katniss gave her older daughter one more kiss and then let go. She turned her head and watched as Gale got out of bed and pulled a pair of old sweats on over his underwear. "You and Sam are going to the range, right?" She asked softly when he noticed her watching.

Gale nodded. "And you get to go to the birthday party." He grinned as he turned and fished a shirt out of his drawer.

Katniss covered her face. "Don't remind me. Dozens of five- and six-year-olds running wild and high on sugar is my idea of the perfect Saturday afternoon." She dropped her hands. "You think Delly would mind if ditched?"

"I think Delly would be very disappointed." He perched on the edge of the bed. "Want me to come? Sam and I could go to the range another day."

With a big sigh, she sat up and shook her head. "No, you two haven't had any father-daughter time in a while. It's either all of us or you take both of them. Sam deserves extra daddy time without Becca. They say nine is one of those critical ages."

He smiled. "Madge says that nine is when the hormones start developing for puberty. We're in for some wild mood swings."

She laughed.

"What?"

She shook her head and kissed his cheek. "You're quoting Madge now." She got out of the bed and stretched. "At least this thing doesn't start for a while."

He nodded. "Take your time getting dressed. The girls and I will handle breakfast." He wrapped his arms around her and she returned the embrace. He rested his forehead against hers and said, "Can you believe next week is our anniversary already?"

"Ten years." Katniss sighed. "Can't believe you've put up with me this long."

Gale chuckled. "It's been a challenge." He brushed a kiss over her lips and then stepped away. "I encourage you to get in the shower before Sam or Becca decide they want to. You know how they can be."

"Water guzzlers like their father." She stepped toward the dresser. "I'll be down in ten minutes."

"I'll have pancakes ready." He promised as he walked out the door.

What she really wanted was to climb back in bed and sleep, but she knew that wouldn't happen. Maybe Becca would be so tuckered out from the party that she'd take a nap afterward. She could hope, anyway.

After showering and getting dressed, Katniss threw her hair up into its normal braid as she made her way down the stairs. Sounds of laughter greeted her as she walked toward the kitchen and she paused just outside the door to peek in.

Gale stood in the center of their kitchen with flour everywhere. Batter was splattered across the counter from the bowl to the pan where he cooked and everyone had some on their faces. None of them were very clean cooks, but at least Katniss knew how to keep the mess to a minimum. Gale didn't always seem to care. He was always the first to get cleaning when it was all done, leaving the place spotless. However, she knew the biggest joy was in creating together and Katniss loved to hear her family happy. It made everything worthwhile.

She stepped into the room and Becca ran over, "Mama, Daddy let me flip one and I made a mess. But then I tried again and it was better."

"I'm proud of you, Becca." Katniss combed her fingers through her daughter's hair. "Help me get plates."

Saturdays were lazy days. They slept until everyone woke up, which for the Hawthorne clan, perpetual morning people, always meant before seven. No matter how hard they tried, most Saturdays started early. There were a few days every once in a while where they could sleep until almost eight, but those days were rare. The rest of the day was usually filled with archery practice or just puttering around the house.

Katniss filled a plate for Becca and one of her own and sat down with the girl. She reached over to start spreading butter, but Becca asked, "Please, Mama, can I do it?"

She sighed and nodded, sitting back to watch her five-year-old make a mess of the butter. Katniss could have done it so much better and faster, but she was learning it was time to let her independent Becca do some things for herself.

Sam sat down and swiped the butter knife from her sister's hands.

Becca looked up and said, "I wasn't done yet."

"Yes, you were." She quickly spread butter over her pancakes and then stuck the knife back in the butter tub.

Becca grabbed it back quickly and the tub plopped to the floor where a great glob of it spilled out.

"Nice going." Sam chided.

Tears filled Becca's eyes as she looked around. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine." Gale said, lifting up the butter and cleaning up the mess. "Just calm down a little next time. Eat your pancakes." He kissed the top of Becca's head and walked back toward the stove.

Katniss picked at her own food as she watched her daughters eat and caught sight of Gale across the room finishing the pancakes. She loved him, but Gale was more like a friend these days than a husband. Not that she minded, there was nothing else she'd rather do in life than live with her best friend and raise their daughters. She just worried that it wouldn't be fair to them.

She'd seen secret looks pass between Gale and Madge and she mostly suspected that it was nothing but friendly. But there were days when she was feeling particularly vulnerable when it appeared more than friendly and she didn't know if she could trust her instincts.

She just always worried she was holding Gale back and she didn't ever want him to resent her. Maybe she should say something, but there was always a little girl within earshot and she didn't even know how to approach it. So she let it go. If Gale was unhappy, he would say something. Katniss was sure of it.

* * *

Katniss kissed the top of her daughter's head and gently nudged her toward the rest of the kids playing. Becca was definitely a combination of both her parents' introverted tendencies. And who could blame the girl for it? She just needed to be with one friend and everything would be okay.

"Hi there." A kind voice broke into her thoughts.

Katniss turned and smiled at the blonde man at her side. He was handsome and looked ready to flirt, so she purposely brushed her hair back with her left hand, letting her wedding band glint in the afternoon sun. "Hi." She responded.

"You're Becca's mom?" He asked, still all kind smiles.

"I am." She said cautiously. "And which one is yours?"

"Callie." He pointed to a girl just as fair as him, a slight red tint to her blonde locks.

It hit Katniss then. This was the dad of Becca's "bestest friend ever." She held out her hand. "Oh, Becca talks about Callie all the time. I'm Katniss Hawthorne."

"Peeta Mellark." He slipped his hand into hers and she felt a shock, just a little stronger than from static electricity, and an odd pull in the middle of her chest.

She removed her hand out if his quickly, still feeling aftershocks from the contact. She flexed her hand. And that spot in her chest felt like a soft ache.

He smiled as though nothing happened, but she could see in his eyes that he'd felt it too. He pointed. "My nephew is the birthday boy."

"Oh, right. Delly is a Mellark, too." She looked away, knowing that had sounded lame. Delly had been a Mellark for as long as Katniss had been a Hawthorne.

The fact she'd never really crossed paths with Ryan's brother was surprising with how many of these parties she'd attended. But there was always some sort of excuse why he wasn't there and it was usually the family bakery or his wife's family having something at the same time.

She also remembered that he'd gotten into a horrible accident the previous year and lost his wife and was badly injured. Mourning that loss along with his own healing process kept him home, from what she understood. Katniss couldn't even imagine what it must have been like to lose your spouse with a child so young.

Peeta chuckled. "It's still a shock to me sometimes, too. Ryan is the last guy I ever thought would get married. But he and Delly are going strong." He leaned in. "Can you believe she's having another baby?" He asked.

Katniss looked toward the woman in question. There was another boy about Sam's age helping his mother set up food. His name was Jason. Next was Carter, the birthday boy. A set of twins had followed barely two years after him, Jacob and Luke. And then another boy was born just a little over a year ago, Michael. Delly was only a few weeks along with this new one, but everyone was already abuzz.

"Are they trying for a girl or a football team?" Katniss asked.

Peeta threw his head back and laughed. "I don't know. I told my brother he needed to slow down, but he just shrugged. I don't know how they do it. I just have Callie and I'm exhausted."

"Well, two isn't easy either. But I heard once you have three, you can't really tell a difference anymore." She smiled and pointed. "Looks like Becca and Callie have paired up."

Peeta followed where she pointed and grinned. The two girls were now commanding the monkey bars. With all her archery practice, Becca had good upper-body strength and made it all the way to the end in record time. Callie, on the other hand, fell after the second rung and climbed onto the top to make an easier go of it.

Katniss chuckled. "Clever kid."

"Strong kid." He countered.

She smiled proudly. "My husband and I have been teaching her archery since she was barely two."

Annie sat down on the other side of Katniss with a sigh, her belly stuck out dramatically. "Someone tell me why I thought four kids was okay?"

Katniss laughed. "Don't ask me. I barely wanted two."

Peeta leaned around Katniss and smiled at the newcomer. "How are your other three doing?"

Annie pointed. "Pearl won't stop following in Maggie's shadow and Maggie has about had enough. Thankfully, Brendan and Finnick are having a guy day and I at least get a break from pre-teen angst."

Peeta chuckled. "Lucky you."

Katniss looked between the two, still feeling pangs in the center of her chest, and then stood. "I should probably help Delly." She stepped away and Peeta gently touched her arm. That same odd electric shock made its way up her arm and she looked down in wonder a moment before she pulled away.

"I'll come with you." He held out his hand to Annie. "Better keep ourselves in Delly's good graces."

Annie slipped her hand into Peeta's and allowed him to help her to her feet. "I guess." She placed her hand on her lower back. "Seriously still have three weeks of this shit." She grumbled as she waddled along with them.

Katniss kept busy the rest of the party. She filled cups of Kool-Aid and passed out plates of chips and cookies and pizza. She passed out two rolls worth of paper towels to clean faces and hands and used another to sop up spilled drinks before the bees and ants showed up.

And she avoided Peeta. If what she felt was what she thought it was, she needed to keep her distance. She was married, after all. Her hands tingled to touch him, wanting to feel the sensation of their skin touching again and the pull in her chest only increased every time he came closer. It felt almost like there was a rope attached to him, reeling them closer together. She resisted, even ran into the middle of the playground the second Becca asked her to play for a while just to get away from Peeta.

Katniss was one of the last to leave, helping Ryan and Peeta pack up the car. It was pretty uncomfortable. Delly sat with her younger three boys beside her and the birthday boy still running wild with Callie and Becca. Katniss finally called her daughter over amid all her grumbling and groaning.

"It was a great party, Delly." Katniss said, accepting the hug Delly offered. Katniss wasn't much for hugs, but she made an exception for Delly. "Becca, say goodbye."

"Mama, can Callie stay the night? Please?" Becca begged. "I'll do all mine and Sam's chores both if she can."

Katniss looked between the girls and then to Peeta. "I don't know, baby. That's not something we do unless it's a special occasion. I don't even know if her daddy or yours are okay with it."

Peeta spoke up. "Maybe some other time, Becca. Your parents and I don't really know each other and we probably should get to know each other better first."

Becca's bottom lip jutted out. "My mom and dad are really nice."

"I'm sure they are." Peeta said kindly. He bent down in front of her. "I tell you what. I'll get your mom's number and we'll set up an afternoon for the two of you to play together for an hour or two." He looked up at Katniss. "Sound good?"

Katniss nodded. "Sure."

They exchanged numbers as the girls performed a happy dance a few feet away. Afterward, Peeta held out his hand for her to shake. Katniss hesitated a moment before slipping her hand into his. She felt the shock again and saw in his eyes that he did too. There was a confidence there that frightened her a little. Though Katniss wasn't sorry for reveling in it just a moment longer than necessary.

She quickly pulled her hand away and flexed her fingers. "Come on, Becca. Time to head home." The moment she closed the car door, Katniss felt the invisible rope snap. She looked over her shoulder to see Peeta watching her and absently rubbing the center of his chest.

She thought about him for the rest of the afternoon. And that night, he was in her dream.


	2. Chapter 2

_Author's note: So excited to share more of this with you! The reception of the first chapter was amazing and I was so happy every time I got an email about this story. Thank you so much for all the positive feedback._

 _Just want to make sure you all know, I am going to steer well clear of the cheating angle. It will make it all the more difficult for our couple in other aspects, but that won't be part of it. Please don't expect the worst for this. The bad things happened before the story began and it only gets better from here (maybe a smidge bit of angst here and there)._

 _I want to say a huge thank you to my beta Everlylark! Go and read her stuff once you get this done._

 _Happy reading!  
_

Chapter Two

Peeta handed each of the three girls a cookie and then turned to Annie as they scurried off. The adults were finally alone after the cookies had cooled enough for the girls to "test them out."

"I need to ask you something." Peeta said softly, glancing toward the living room where Maggie and Pearl argued about what to watch on TV. Callie just munched her cookie. "And I need you to keep it between us."

"Sure. Anything." Annie leaned closer so Peeta could lower his voice more without their daughters hearing. "What is it?"

"Was it an electric shock? When you and Finnick touched the first time?" He swallowed and watched her anxiously.

She smiled wistfully. "It's like that every time we touch. I just don't always register it anymore. Why?"

He turned and finished dropping chocolate chip cookie dough onto a cookie sheet before he went on. "Because I felt it." It was a few more heartbeats before he was able to say, "She's married, Annie."

His friend's face dropped. "Oh. Well, that's not good." Annie started filling the boxes with cookies. "Did she notice?"

Peeta laughed derisively. "She sure as hell did."

She chewed her lip uncertainly. "So what are you going to do?"

He shrugged and slipped the cookie sheet into the oven. "What _can_ I do? I can't date a married woman."

"Soulmates can just be friends." She pointed out. "Look at Cinna and Mags."

Peeta grinned. "Cinna is gay and Mags is _everyone's_ grandma."

"Cinna is bisexual. And the bond with Cinna is a stronger one than anyone else has with Mags, grandma or no." She leaned close. "Johanna and Castor are another good example of soulmate friends."

"Yeah." He shrugged again as he went on to his next task. "I guess I should go out with that girl you've been trying to set me up with to keep me from the romantic feelings." He groaned. She's so... And I just… And there's Alex."

She rubbed his back. "Alex has only been gone a year."

"A year and three months." Peeta corrected. "My dad remarried Cara ten months after my mom left."

Annie waved her hand. "Your mom was a bitch. I'm sure your dad was ready to get back into the dating pool the second she packed her bags."

He nodded, a grin on his face. "You're right."

She pressed a quick peck to his cheek. "You don't have to do anything you don't want. And that includes dating and spending time with that soulmate of yours." She chewed her lip a moment and then asked, "No chance of you telling me her name?"

He swallowed and pressed his mouth close to her ear to whisper, "Katniss Hawthorne."

Annie let out a sharp gasp as he pulled away and covered her mouth. "That was very unexpected."

"Who were you expecting?" Peeta took out a new bowl and started mixing up the sugar cookie recipe off the top of his head.

She laughed. "I was kind of thinking about Delly. Wouldn't that be a trip?"

He shook his head in amusement. "I would have known a long time ago if it was Delly."

"True." Annie leaned against the counter and rubbed her bulbous stomach. "Thank you so much for your help with this. These cookies will make a great profit for the carnival."

"No problem. I love helping out." The first set of sugar cookies went in the oven. "You should sit down for a while." He eyed her stomach and the pained look on her face.

"If I'm on my feet, maybe it will push me into labor. Two weeks left to the due date. I need this baby out yesterday." Still, she rubbed her lower back.

Peeta chuckled. "I wish you the best."

Brendan crashed through the front door followed by several friends and all their swimming gear, dropping it just inside the door. They raided the refrigerator as Peeta handed out cookies. He watched the kids barreling through the house to get up to Brendan's room, still working hard on the cookies.

Finnick walked in much more slowly and stepped into the kitchen. Placing a hand on Annie's stomach, he kissed her softly. "How do you feel?"

She grinned. "Pregnant. How about you?"

Finnick laughed and kissed her again. "Tired. But ready to take over with the kids so you can get off your feet."

She shook her head. "I'm walking until this kid comes out. I'm done."

Finnick leaned down and spoke to his wife's pregnant belly. "You better make an appearance soon, baby girl, or your mother is going to murder me."

"Another girl?" Peeta asked, shocked. They'd been keeping the sex of their baby a secret, wanting to surprise everyone.

Finnick looked up and grinned sheepishly. "Didn't do so good keeping it to ourselves, did we?" He plucked a cookie out of the box Annie was filling.

Annie shrugged. " _I_ was doing a good job."

Finnick stole another kiss. "I'll keep an eye on the kids." He took another cookie and walked out of the room.

"What does that feel like?" Peeta immediately asked.

Annie laughed. "Like my whole body is vibrating." She pulled a stool over and perched on it. After watching him a moment, she said, "You should talk to her."

"Talk to who?" He knew perfectly well who she meant, but pretended he was distracted by the cookies.

"You know!" Annie groaned. "Aren't you doing a play date?"

He sighed and leaned a hip against the counter. "For one thing, her husband will be there. And for another, I don't think it's right to even discuss this when there are kids around anyway."

"You're right." She said. "But you can't just put it off if you're going to spend time with her because of your daughters." She leaned against the counter and rubbed her stomach. "And she's married. So what? Friends who are soulmates are super close. You've seen it. You'll probably be closer to her than you and I are. I might be a little jealous." She stuck out her bottom lip in a fake pout.

Peeta patted her arm. "You never need to feel jealous."

"But talk to her, Peeta. You can't run from this." Annie reached out and grabbed his arm, shaking him playfully. "If you don't talk it out it'll just be weird between you two."

He nodded, a laugh escaping him. "I know. I just don't know how or when to bring it up."

She rubbed his arm. "You'll know when the time is right. You've always been great with words." She groaned and rubbed her stomach. "Baby is hungry." Ambling toward where she'd left her phone, she yelled, "Who wants pizza?"

From other parts of the house, she heard choruses of "I do!"

Peeta chuckled as Annie made the call. He busied himself with the final batch of cookies and then began cleaning up the mess he'd made. He was pretty clean for a baker. Even his father made a messier kitchen and he's been doing the work longer.

Annie hung up the phone just as Finnick came back in. He wrapped his arms around her and whispered something in her ear that made her grin and grab his face for a deep kiss. It went on so long Peeta started to grow slightly uncomfortable. It was often like that with them. Everything was intense. Even with three kids and another on the way, they were still very much in love.

Peeta assumed that had everything to do with the soulmate bond. Because as much as he loved Alexandrea, there were often days where the only touches they shared were their arms pressed together in their bed at night.

Peeta cleared his throat and the pair reluctantly ended the kiss. "So what time is this thing tomorrow?"

Annie leaned against Finnick as he continued to kiss her cheek and neck. "The whole thing starts at noon." She answered. "So get there when you can. I have Delly signed up. And Katniss Hawthorne." She gave Peeta a pointed look which made him squirm.

Finnick rubbed Annie's stomach. "I hope there are chairs everywhere so you can sit down."

"Why?" Annie asked. "So we don't have to trust our spawn to your sister?"

Finnick laughed and kissed her temple. "So you don't tire yourself out."

"Because that's _your_ job, right?" She laughed and pulled him in for another kiss.

Peeta sighed. "Do I need to take the kids and go somewhere?"

Finnick groaned and finally pulled himself out of Annie's embrace. "The girls asked me to have a tea party anyway." With one last lingering kiss, he walked out of the kitchen and settled into the living room with the three girls.

Annie grinned after him and then turned to Peeta. "Pizza will be here in ten minutes."

"I'll finish in here then. You go to the tea party or spend ten minutes alone."

She didn't argue, leaving him alone to his thoughts. They drifted to Katniss, and not for the first time. What was she doing now? Was she thinking about him too? Wondering what it would be like to touch him again?

Peeta looked down at his hand, remembering the tingle in his fingers after touching her. And then he rubbed his chest where the line had snapped when Katniss had closed her car door.

What was he going to do? He didn't know, but he was sure going to try to avoid being alone with Katniss at all costs until he figured it out.

* * *

Callie was always wound up after a day with the Odair girls. They were a wild bunch and it rubbed off. It took Peeta three stories and a promise that she could sleep in his bed before she finally settled down, crashing as soon as her head hit the pillow. Right in the middle of the bed.

Conrad leaned against the counter as Peeta finished the dishes. Peeta and Callie had moved back into the small house behind the family bakery after the accident that had taken Alexandrea and broken Peeta's leg in three places. There was no way he would have been able to take care of Callie on his own in that condition.

"Are you going to be able to finish that wedding cake tomorrow?" Conrad asked.

Peeta nodded and put the last pan on the drying mat. "I don't have much left on it. I'll be able to finish pretty quickly." He dried his hands. "I promised Annie I'd help at the bake sale table at the carnival tomorrow afternoon. Is that still okay?"

"As long as that cake is done, you can go." Conrad clapped him on the shoulder. "You okay? You've been a little out of it lately."

"It's nothing, Dad." Peeta sighed. "I'm just…" He shook his head. "I don't want to talk about it."

Conrad squeezed his shoulder gently and then stepped away. "Early mornings call for early bedtimes." He walked into the living room and Peeta watched him lean over the couch where his wife Cara lounged reading a book. He kissed her cheek and then walked toward his room. She very quickly followed.

Peeta rubbed his face. There was no way he was going to tell his father about the situation with Katniss. He didn't believe in the soulmate business. He figured it was because of how much his first wife had hurt him. How could you ever believe in your perfect match under such harsh treatment?

Peeta checked all the locks and turned out the lights before he made his way to his bedroom. He watched Callie sleep for a moment. She was so peaceful in slumber. It was a miracle he was still around to see it and he took advantage of the opportunity often.

After he changed, Peeta climbed into the bed with Callie, pulling her close to his chest and falling asleep almost as quickly as she had.

* * *

 _He was in a sealed cave. The darkness and air were thick. He could feel the rough walls against his hands and the backs of his bare legs. And he felt her beside him. Her touch was like lightening striking the Nile. He wanted to speak, but his lungs wouldn't allow it. And then the final breath left him._

His eyes popped open and he looked around his small room. Callie had moved sideways in the bed and her feet pressed into his side. Gently slipping his hands under her arms, he moved her back onto the pillow and then looked at the clock to see it was almost four, his normal time to wake up. What was five more minutes?

Peeta pressed a kiss to his daughter's forehead and got out of bed.

Conrad was already in the shower, so Peeta had to wait a few minutes outside. It gave him a moment to reflect on the dream. He'd never noticed someone else in the cave before, just the darkness and the thick air.

Was that Katniss? What did the dream mean? Did it change the meaning with her there now?

Conrad stepped out of the bathroom rubbing a towel on his hair. The men exchanged a tired nod and switched places.

Peeta propped his foot on the side of the bath tub and traced the scars from the surgery. Pins were still inserted in his bones. On cold days or when a storm was on its way he could feel it. He predicted the weather better than a meteorologist.

"It's going to rain soon." He mumbled to himself as he got into the shower.

Peeta heard his father and Cara speaking softly behind their door as he stepped out of the bathroom. He made his way back to his bedroom once more and leaned over Callie. He whispered, "I love you, Cal-pal," and kissed her temple.

"Love you, Daddy." She mumbled as she rolled away and pressed her face into the pillow.

Some mornings Peeta wished he didn't work in the bakery. He could wake his daughter up every day and not expect someone else to do it. They could have longer evenings. He backed away, softly closing the door behind him.

"Peeta." Cara called softly from down the hall.

He looked over his shoulder.

She smiled. "I'll send her over as soon as she wakes up."

He nodded. "Thanks." Pushing away from the wall, he pressed a kiss to his stepmother's cheek. "She really loves that her grandma gets to take care of her every morning. She's lucky."

"I'm the lucky one." She squeezed his upper arm and smiled. "I'm just so happy you two are well and that you live here. I'm not nearly as close to your brothers and I find that very sad."

"But they love you, Cara. Just as much as I do." He stepped away. "Dad's probably ready to eat me. I'll get you a bagel as soon as you come over." He hurried out the door and threw himself into the bakery kitchen.

" _There_ you are." Conrad pointed to one of the large mixers in the corner. "Cheese buns."

Peeta pulled the ingredients he needed toward the mixer and got to work. "I promised Cara a bagel."

Conrad grinned. "That's why _I'm_ making them."

Peeta's oldest brother Graham came into the bakery and went toward the second mixer. "Donuts?" He asked as he took his own bag of flour toward the machine.

"You got it." Conrad said.

They worked for a long time in silence until Ryan finally breezed in. He apologized profusely. "The kids are all sick. Delly and I were taking turns cleaning up puke all night."

"Bake cakes." Conrad said. "There's a list by the cooler of orders. Peeta will decorate."

"Dad, the carnival." Peeta reminded him.

Conrad nodded. "I know, son. They're all simple designs. What you don't finish, I will. I mostly need that wedding cake."

"Then I'll get this rising and go to work on that." Peeta pulled the hook out of the mixer and covered the top of the dough to rise.

Decorating cakes was a calming practice for Peeta. He preferred the ones he decorated with a piping bag and different colored frosting to the ones covered in fondant and gum paste. This was one of the latter, though, and he took great care to get everything right. Irises that he'd crafted by hand to perfection, would be placed all down the side and pool at the bottom of the three tiered cake.

Callie's blue eyes peered over the table at him as he tried to figure out where the next flower should be placed. He smiled and pressed the iris into the second tier. "Good morning, sleepyhead."

"Grandma let me sleep in." She smiled sheepishly.

Peeta chuckled. "You deserve it. One of these days you'll work in this bakery too and have to be in here by four thirty to get the bread started."

She made a face. "Do I _have_ to work here when I grow up?"

He stuck another flower into the cake and sat back. "You don't have to if you don't want to. What do you what to do?"

Callie shrugged. "I don't know yet."

"Well, you have plenty of time to decide." Peeta went back to decorating. "You want to pass me flowers?"

She nodded enthusiastically and pulled another stool closer. She handed over the irises until they were all gone and then rested her head on her father's shoulder. "It's so pretty, Daddy."

He kissed the top of her head. "Thanks, baby."

She sat back and looked up at him. "Will you make my cake when I get married?"

"I sure will." He pressed his forehead to hers. "But wait until you're at least ten to talk about getting married again. Okay?"

She giggled. "Okay."

Conrad walked in wiping his hands. "Looks good, son." He pointed to the clock. "You don't want to be late to the carnival."

Peeta looked up. "I didn't finish those other cakes."

His father shrugged. "I'll get your brothers to do them. Between the two of them, I'm sure they will look halfway decent." He clapped Peeta on the shoulder. "I expect you to work harder next week."

"Don't you worry." Peeta hung up his apron and swung Callie up into his arms. "Let's get going, kiddo!" They barged out of the bakery and toward the shiny orange sedan. Peeta had purchased it the month he was cleared to drive after his recovery.

It was still frightening starting up the engine with Callie in the back seat, but it got easier every time and he pushed himself to drive just a little farther. The trip to the school was one he made every day, so it was the easiest one for him.

Still, at every stop sign in the three block journey, he looked both ways several times before he eased through the intersection. He still sometimes blamed himself for the accident that took Alex, even though it wasn't his fault.


	3. Chapter 3

_Author's note: Are you ready for some more Everlark? How about a little Cressida/Johanna? Yeah, that's a thing in this world! I'd love to know what you think of all of this._

 _Much thanks to my beta Everlylark! We've had some really great talks getting all this in order and I very much appreciate it! Go check out her stuff!_

 _Happy reading!_

Chapter Three

Gale's phone rang as the family started out the door for the school carnival. Katniss recognized it as the tone he'd assigned to his father and she heaved a sigh, which was echoed by their daughters in the exact same tone. It was frightening how much they were like her sometimes.

Becca said, "Doesn't Grandpa know that today is the carnival?"

"Just give me a minute, kiddo." Ruffling her hair, Gale answered the phone. "Hey, Dad. What's up?"

"Go load up, girls." Katniss said as she handed over the keys to the truck.

Sam grabbed them up and ran out the door with her little sister hot on her heels yelling, "I'm sitting behind Daddy!"

"No, it's _my_ turn." Becca argued as Sam slammed the door open.

Katniss shook her head and then stepped toward Gale as he hung up the phone. "Please don't tell me—"

"I have to go in." He cupped her cheeks and kissed her forehead. "Just for a bit. Someone came here from three states away to have a consult on a kayak."

"A kayak?" Katniss groaned rested her forehead on Gale's shoulder. "Can't your dad do that? The girls were really looking forward to today."

"I'm the watersports guy." He rubbed her back. "I'm sure it won't take long. And then the girls go home with Prim and Rory tonight." He lifted up her head and brushed a kiss over her lips. "Happy anniversary."

"Yeah, 'Happy anniversary, I have to go to work.'" She patted his chest. "I'm depending on you, Gale. Don't be a million years, okay?"

He nodded and gently squeezed her shoulders. "I'll do my best, Catnip." He lifted the keys to the SUV off the hook by the door and walked out. "I'll meet you there later." He promised as they shared a quick kiss.

"Text me, please? Let me know what's going on?" Katniss asked as she stepped toward the truck.

With a nod, he opened the back door of the truck. "I have to go to work for a bit, girls. But I will try to make it to the carnival in a bit. Okay?"

Sam nodded while Becca protested. "Daddy, you said you'd win me a fish."

"And I will. As soon as I get done. I love you." He assured them. "And I will be there as soon as I can. Listen to your mom and be on your best behavior."

Katniss waited until Gale was out before she made her way in the opposite direction. The Hawthornes ran a sporting goods empire making custom and special edition sporting equipment. People called and traveled from all over to get The Best in Sports. Katniss was in charge the archery division and had been since before she and Gale were married.

It had been a saving grace when they asked her to take over after her father died. She'd barely been eighteen at the time, but had spent all her life at her father's elbow watching him string bows and craft the perfect arrow tips. He painted with a far more precise hand than she ever did, but she'd gotten better over the years. Thank goodness most of her custom orders had to do with speed and precision and not with the beauty of it.

"Mom, why did Daddy have to work?" Becca asked, breaking Katniss out of her thoughts. "Grandpa could have said no."

"Because someone traveled a long way, baby girl." Katniss said. "I don't like it either."

Sam asked, "Is it going to take him long?"

"I hope not, Sam-Sam." Katniss miraculously found a place to park. Despite there still being an hour to the official start time, everyone had already started showing up.

Katniss ushered the girls inside and found Annie sitting at the door looking uncomfortable and pointing out where things needed to be set up.

"Girls, don't get in the way." Katniss warned as her daughters ran off to look around.

"Sure, Mom." Sam called.

Becca simply waved over her shoulder.

Annie chuckled and pointed across the gym. "My girls are over with Finnick. He'll keep an eye on yours."

"Thanks." Katniss said. "So where do you want me?"

Annie chewed her lip a moment before she said, "Could you help Peeta with the bake sale table? He's a great baker, but he's dismal with money. And you're the best I know."

Katniss nodded and made her way slowly toward the table where Peeta was busy getting things put in order. He looked like he was much better at that particular task.

"Hi." She stepped toward him slowly like he was an animal who would easily be spooked. "Annie said she wants me to help you."

Peeta cursed under his breath and glared toward where Annie sat and then smiled kindly at Katniss. "Good. I suck with the money."

"That's what Annie said." She stepped toward the cash box. "How is next weekend?"

"What about it?" He asked, adjusting the box of chocolate chip cookies for the third time.

"For a play date? Callie and Becca?" She was so nervous about being so close to him. What she wanted most of all was to reach out and touch his arm so that she could feel that spark again.

He thought a moment and then said, "Saturdays aren't great for me. Sometimes I'm lucky enough to get out of the bakery for things like this. But my brother Graham isn't happy that I flaked out on two Saturdays in a row. Even if the last one was for our nephew's birthday."

"Oh." She flexed her fingers to keep from touching him. God, she wanted to so bad! She never felt this need to touch Gale. What was that about? She realized that knot was back in her chest and she'd moved a little closer. "So an evening after school? I can be a little flexible with my schedule. I can pick Callie up when I get Sam and Becca."

"I'll think about it. It's mostly family and really close friends I trust her with." He looked around and then ran his finger over the back of Katniss's hand.

She took in a sharp breath when she felt the tingle spread up her arm and through her body. She let him draw circles on her hand for a minute before she pulled away reluctantly. She opened her mouth a few times, trying to think of something to say.

Thankfully Annie waddled over and saved her. "Okay, you guys. I'm really sorry, but I have to leave. And Peeta, I need you to keep an eye on the kids until Jo and Cressida can get here to take over."

Peeta looked down at Annie's stomach. "Baby time?"

Annie nodded, a relieved smile on her face. "Baby time. Finnick is getting the car. The kids are over there." She pointed to the other end of the gym. "Brendan and Sam both said they'd watch the younger ones." She grabbed her stomach and let out a groan.

Finnick ran over. "I'm here! People were cussing me for parking where I did. Let's go have a baby." He wrapped his arm around Annie's waist and led her away.

"I'm sorry, guys! Clove is in charge." Annie called over her shoulder.

"Clove." Katniss made a face and was satisfied when she heard Peeta snort. "That hag has had it out for me from day one." Katniss said softly.

"Yeah, one of those my-kid's-better-than-your-kid people." He sighed.

"She always turns her nose up at me and the other working mothers when we say we can't volunteer during the day. I mean, I could if I want to take up my evening working."

"Heaven forbid someone should want to work all day." Peeta grinned. "Alex loved staying at home with Callie, but she also loved to work. She was counting down the days until Cal was in school so she could get back in the office."

"I'm sure if Clove knew, she would have shunned your wife as much as the rest of us."

He snorted again. "Probably more. She doesn't like single parents either, have you noticed?"

Katniss shook her head and leaned closer. "I never noticed that." People were starting to show up for the festivities, but she hoped they would stay away for a while so she could keep talking to Peeta. Her hand drifted toward his on the table, but she kept a few inches between their skin.

He nodded. "Annie doles out jobs to whoever is there and willing. When Clove is in charge of something, she gives the good jobs to her stay-at-home mom friends who are married. The rest of us get the worst ones."

Katniss found herself smiling in a way that she only did with Gale. Maybe it was this connection, but she was comfortable with him out here in public, unlike other times when she would stand in the crowd wishing she was back home.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket and she pulled it out to find a text from Gale. **Tell me why I answered the phone? This jerk is so demanding! I promise to be there as soon as possible. Tell the girls I'm sorry.**

 **I will. And don't worry. They're running around with friends now, so you'd probably just be the bank.** She clicked send and then looked toward Peeta as he leaned down to talk to his daughter and her youngest as well as both of Annie and Finnick's.

He held up Pearl's hand, examining it for a boo-boo that he couldn't seem to find.

"But Mags steppeded on it." Pearl cried.

Peeta kissed it. "You should be all better now."

The little girl sniffed and wiped at her eyes. "I guess."

Peeta smiled. "Come have a seat over here and you can eat a cookie while the big girls play." He sat her down behind them and handed over a snickerdoodle. "I know these are your favorite."

Pearl smile hugely and took a large bite out of the cookie, her pain a thing of the past.

The three other girls each accepted a cookie and scurried off once more.

Peeta pulled some bills out of his wallet and handed them to Katniss, their hands brushed and Katniss tried to hide her smile from Pearl's round green eyes. She was watching everything.

They didn't talk much for the next several hours. People were all abuzz about the baked goods. And when you tell kids there are cookies, the parents don't hear the end of it until they get one.

A young woman sauntered over later in the afternoon. She had short brown hair that was styled into a Mohawk. Just a few steps behind her was another woman with a shaved head and vines tattooed in place of hair. The tattoos continued down her neck and underneath her shirt, reappearing on her arms. Katniss marveled at them. She'd discussed with Gale getting matching tattoos of their daughters' names, but had never followed through. Both were nervous about needles. God, they were so much alike.

"Peeta!" The brunette said happily. "How the hell are ya?"

Peeta chuckled and looked around. "Watch yourself, Jo, this is a family gathering."

"Oh, shit, sorry." She covered her mouth. "I'll just get the kids and get out of here before I drop an f-bomb."

"Aunt Cress!" Pearl exclaimed and threw her arms around the tattooed woman.

"There's my Pearl!" The woman said happily as she swung the girl up into her arms. "How are you?"

"Fine. Mommy's getting the baby out!" Her declaration was a happy one.

The woman smiled at the girl in her arms. "I heard. Are you excited?" Her question was directed at the other two children as they stepped closer.

Pearl nodded and then rested her head on the woman's shoulder. "We go home with you."

"You sure do." Jo said, draping an arm over Brendan's shoulders and resting her hand on top of Maggie's head. "And guess who's already there?"

"Uncle Castor?" Maggie asked anxiously.

"Yep." Johanna glowed at the mention of Castor. Katniss was so confused.

Peeta indicated Katniss. "This is Katniss Hawthorne, but the way." He pointed to the brunette. "That's Johanna and her wife Cressida." He made a motion to the other woman still holding Pearl. "Jo is Finnick's sister."

"Nice to meet you." Katniss said softly. Okay, now she was even more confused.

An arm slipped around her shoulders and Katniss jumped, looking up into the familiar face of her husband. "I'm so sorry. That took way longer than I was hoping. But I get to make a really sweet kayak." He kissed her temple and turned to the others. Introductions were made all around just before Sam and Becca attacked their father around the waist.

"Daddy, will you please try to win me a goldfish now?" Becca begged.

Gale heaved a sigh. "What if I let your mother have some fun with you and I help out here?"

"No, Dad, we've been waiting for _you_." Sam protested.

Katniss nudged him with her hip. "Go on, Dad. I've got this."

Gale nodded and kissed the top of her head. "Come on, who wants a goldfish?"

Johanna and her wife exchanged a look before Jo said, "We'll take these yahoos out of here. Thanks for keeping an eye on them for us."

"Yeah, we owe you." Cressida said. "Castor showed and I couldn't get Johanna away. I almost had to come on my own."

"I never make you come on your own." Johanna said with a wicked grin.

Cressida gave her a sideways grin and shook her head. "Small ears."

Johanna whispered something in Cressida's ear and then threw her head back and laughed happily. Giving one more wave to the others, they made their way out.

Peeta gave Katniss an unsure look. What was he thinking? After serving a few more people he leaned close, letting his fingers brush over her hand just a moment. "Johanna and Castor are like us."

Katniss looked down at her hand were his fingers had just been. There was still a small spot that felt like it was buzzing. "Like us?"

He nodded. "I understand if you don't want to talk about it, but…"

Becca and Callie both came running over with a fish in each of their small fists.

Callie exclaimed, "Look, Dad, Becca's dad got me two fish!"

Gale was just a step behind. "If you don't want her to have them—"

"No, it's fine." Peeta said. "Thank you."

Katniss smiled gratefully at her husband. They both liked helping people. It was in their nature. When you had more than others, you helped. Hell, you even helped when you barely had enough for yourself. Katniss remembered many times her father did without so that she and her sister could have more.

"How much longer, Mom?" Sam complained as she leaned on her mother's shoulder. Even at nine, she was already almost the same height as Katniss. Sam was going to be tall like the rest of the Hawthornes.

"Not much." She indicated the gym. "Everyone's starting to clear out. We'll just clean up and go. Maybe another hour."

Gale said, "Why don't you take the girls to your sister's and go home? You can get yourself ready so I can pick you up like it's a real date."

Katniss laughed uncomfortably and looked over to Peeta before her eyes went back to her husband. "That sounds great."

She handed off the money box to Clove as she went around to each of the booths. They shared an antagonistic look before Clove walked away.

"Come on, girls," Katniss said, "Let's go see what Aunt Prim and Uncle Rory have planned for your sleepover." She looked over to Peeta. The line was taut and she wasn't ready for the snap again as soon as she was out of his sight. "We'll figure out this week? With the girls?"

Peeta nodded. She could see the conflict in his eyes. "Yes. I'll get in touch."

Gale was already across the room breaking down tables. Katniss handed Sam the keys. "Go to the truck. I'm right behind you."

Sam took Becca's hand and headed out.

Katniss stood close enough to Peeta that their words wouldn't be heard by anyone else. She spoke quickly. "I'm married. So nothing can happen."

"I wasn't planning on it." His voice was just as quiet. "I just want to be friends. After my wife died, I lost touch with so many people. We won't go any further. I promise."

She nodded and turned on her heel, resisting the pull in her chest trying to send her back into that gym. The twang of the break was almost audible and she had to stop a moment. She rubbed her chest when she started walking again. This would be one of the hardest things she ever did.


	4. Chapter 4

_Author's note: This chapter includes Everthorne sex. For this version I have cut it away. If you wish to read the full version, please make your way to AO3. All the info is the same there._

 _Thank you for reading! Let me know what you think. You can come chat on Tumblr, I don't mind. I'm booksrockmyface._

 _Much thanks to my beta Everlylark for being so supportive of this project and helping make sure everything comes through as far as these complex relationships are concerned. I hope you all see it as well. Go check out her stuff!_

 _Happy reading!_

Chapter Four

Gale had the whole night planned to perfection. Ten years was a great milestone in a marriage and he wanted to mark the occasion with a romantic night on the town. The fact that sex would be the end cap of the night played only a very small part.

Their love life was something of a snoozefest. Not that he complained too much. The main reason they barely did anything was because Becca usually made her way to their bed and he hated making her go back to her own as much as Katniss did. So they had agreed to birthdays and anniversaries, three times a year guaranteed.

Gale considered himself pretty good at it. At least Katniss never said anything different. And there were several nights in their first year of marriage, before Sam was born, that she initiated just as much as him, more for Gale's pleasure than her own. Katniss had never really had a high sex drive, something they had both come to terms with after much frustration on both their parts. But if Gale kissed her enough and touched her in all the right places and was patient, she would get in the mood eventually. And it made the whole situation that much better.

He stopped off at the drugstore for a small package of condoms. While there, his phone when off with a text from Madge.

 **Have fun tonight.** It read.

 **Definitely plan on it. We should hang out soon.** He added the second as an afterthought.

Her response took a while, but her words were pointed. **With your wife around?**

Gale typed quickly. **I'm going to talk to her soon. He promised.**

 **I've been hearing that for five years.** Her next text countered. **I just don't want her to ever think anything's been going on. We need to lay it all out. There is nothing to be ashamed of here, Gale.**

Gale sighed. You're right. **You always are. I'll talk to her. Good night, Madge.**

He turned his phone on silent and headed home to get ready. Madge really was right. Soulmates. That was a conversation he just wasn't ready to have with Katniss. He was comfortable with their life. They had their girls. They had a routine. And they just worked well together.

His connection with Madge complicated their relationship, but he tried to ignore it. It was hard to do when they were all together. She worked as head of social media and she was usually around when they had big family functions because the Hawthornes claimed all their employees as family.

Gale walked in the door to find Katniss walking down the stairs in a tight green dress. It went all the way to the floor, hugging her hips and enhancing her breasts. A pair of black shoes peeked out from the bottom. He let out an appreciative whistle and pulled her into his arms. "You're hot."

She laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Am I? I wasn't so sure anymore."

"You always will be to me." He pressed a kiss to her lips, but she pushed him away.

"You'll ruin my lipstick." She protested.

"You can reapply." He kissed her again, longer this time.

She smiled when he finally pulled away. "Get ready. You made a big deal about those reservations when you made them."

"I'll be down in thirty." He kissed her once more and bolted up the stairs two at a time.

It took him only twenty minutes to get ready. Katniss had laid out his suit on the bed for him, complete with a green tie to match her dress.

He came down the stairs, still struggling with the tie, to find Katniss standing at the bottom with a long package.

"I didn't think it would be smart to bring this into the restaurant." She explained with a smile.

He took it and walked into the living room to sit down. He slowly opened the package to find a new bow. He grinned and marveled at the sleek black weapon. As he looked closer he noticed there were words along the length of it in canary yellow, his favorite color.

"That's the girls' names." He observed. "In their own writing. How did you do that?"

She smiled, always eager to explain her process to him. "I had them write it on paper, then I transferred it to a stencil, and then I painted it on. That's the right shade of yellow, isn't it?"

He looked up from admiring the bow and nodded. "Yeah, that's perfect."

She smiled and rubbed his leg. "I put the names there so that you could see it when you shoot. Remind you to aim true. Do you like it?"

"I love it, Katniss. Thank you." He kissed her again and laid a small box on her lap as he pulled away. "You're always better at this gift thing than me."

Katniss smiled as she opened up the box. "You just think differently about gifts than I do." She lifted the bracelet out of the box and let out an impressed sound. "Oh, Gale, it's beautiful."

"My mom said diamonds were the gift for ten years." Gale said as he reached out to fasten it around her wrist. "They're the same cut as your engagement ring."

"They are." She admired it as it glistened on her wrist. She wrapped her arm around his neck and pulled him in for a kiss. "I love you."

"I love you too." He kissed her again and then stood. "Reservations!"

She laughed and stood quickly. "Feed me, husband!"

"In good time, wife." He responded as he led her out of the house.

They ate at The Capitol, the hottest restaurant in town. It was well worth it. A live pianist played quietly a few feet from their table and Gale smiled when he heard Katniss singing absently.

He caressed her hand as they waited for their meal. He knew touching her should help her get in the mood. It didn't always work, but he hoped with the atmosphere and the significance of the day.

Katniss rested her hand on his knee and leaned close. "There's a couple over your shoulder, older woman with a younger man. What do you think? Actual loving couple or is he waiting for her to kick the bucket?"

Gale snorted and casually looked over his shoulder to see the couple in question. It was a game they played sometimes, observing people and making up their life stories. "He's waiting for her to die." He turned back to his wife. "But she's been slowly poisoning him. Like her last three husbands."

She giggled. "Never been caught."

"But she will be this time." He chuckled and looked off to his side. "What about that busty blonde over there? Who is she waiting for? Daddy or... _daddy_?"

Katniss threw her head back and laughed so loudly she got a glare from the neighboring table. "Definitely the second one. And her daddy is some big investment banker with five ex-wives and half a dozen kids."

"Paying through the nose in child support." Gale added.

"For sure." She giggled again. "And she's going to tell him she's carrying twins tonight."

The waiter came by with their main course and they suspended the game as they ate.

* * *

Back at home after their meal, they quickly shed their shoes and made their way up to their bedroom. Gale unzipped Katniss's dress and kissed her shoulders as he slipped it down. He held her close and pressed his nose into her hair. "I love you." Was that desperation he heard in his own voice?

"I love you." And was that uncertainty in hers?

They finished undressing and climbed into bed. He felt her hesitation almost instantly and pulled away. "We don't have to."

She pulled him back. "You know it takes me a while sometimes."

He nodded. "I also know that sometimes it doesn't happen at all."

She shrugged. "So if it doesn't, it doesn't. But I want you to have a good time." She smoothed her hand down his arm.

He shook his head. "I'd feel like I'm taking something that isn't mine."

She shrugged. "Just because I don't climax doesn't mean I didn't have a good time." She tugged on his arm. "Come on. It's kind of a tradition now. It's our sexaversary."

He snorted and kissed her again. He could feel her trying, but he knew it wasn't working. With a sigh, he pulled away. "You don't want it."

She shook her head. "But I was trying for you."

He trailed his fingers over her cheek. "We should take a break for the minute."

She nodded. "We should." She rolled out of bed and walked to her dresser. Pulling one of his old shirts on, she said, "I do love you."

"I know." He responded. She was saying it a lot tonight. Did she suspect something about Madge? Or was it just the atmosphere of the night.

"I'll make us some warm milk." She pulled on her pajama pants and slipped out of the room.

Gale found an old pair of sweatpants and followed.

Katniss stood at the stove, slowly stirring a pot of milk. She looked up with a contrite smile. "I'm sorry."

He shrugged. "You're not feeling it. I won't push it."

"I don't think there's anything wrong with me. It's just never really been something I wanted very often." She looked up. "I really am sorry."

"It's fine, Catnip. You know it is." He wrapped his arms around her from behind. "Besides, there are better things we could do."

"Sleep alone in our bed for the first time in eight years?" She asked anxiously.

He laughed. "We could definitely do that. And I'm making you breakfast in bed in the morning."

"I like the sound of that." She stepped out of his arms and poured the milk into two mugs.

Sitting down at the table, Gale asked, "Do you ever...?" How was he going to say it? Maybe now wasn't the best time. "Never mind."

Katniss swallowed and sat her cup down. "Do I ever what?"

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Do you ever think about our marriage and how we've progressed?"

"Sometimes." She sipped her milk thoughtfully. "Some days it's great and others it's like..."

"It's like friends occupying the same space." He finished for her and nodded. "So what do we do to fix it?"

She shrugged. "What do you think?"

"Make more time for us?" He suggested. "Not just birthdays and our anniversary."

"More sex?" She asked with a sideways grin.

He laughed. "Well, I won't say no if you offer."

She downed the last of her milk. "Let's go try again." She held out her hand and pulled him to his feet. "Our marriage can just be friends with benefits."

He laughed and pressed her against the wall. "Does that mean all the things _I_ like or all the things _you_ like?"

"You like more than me." She bit her lip as she trailed her fingers down his bare chest. He was so ready for whatever she wanted. "We have all night to figure some things out." She grinned and tried to move him out of her way.

He shook his head and pushed the loose pants off her hips.

Her eyes grew big in shock. "Right here?"

He shrugged. "Why not?"

Katniss scoffed. "Because the condoms are upstairs. And we agreed on two babies." She said, holding up two fingers for emphasis.

Giving her a wicked grin, he dropped to his knees. "My mouth doesn't need a condom." He pulled her leg out of her pants and hooked it over his shoulder. Still smiling, he pressed his mouth into her warmth.

* * *

Gale rolled away and wiped the sweat from his forehead. "That was fun."

She laughed and threw her arm over her eyes. "It's always fun." She turned her head and watched him.

He grinned and slipped his hand into hers. They just stared sleepily into each other's eyes for the longest time as their bodies cooled and their hearts slowed to normal rates.

Katniss rolled over after a while and began to draw slow circles in the middle of Gale's chest. It was the same spot every time and he never got a clear answer as to why it was there that she always rested her fingers.

She spoke softly, "My favorite memory of these last ten years is the day I told you we were having Sam. Do you remember?"

"Of course I remember." He rolled into her and wrapped his arm around her waist. "You'd been sick for days. And we thought it was food poisoning. And then my mom pointed out that it was more like pregnancy symptoms."

"I wasn't sure I wanted her." Katniss admitted softly. She looked up into his face with uncertainty. "But the look on your face when you saw the positive test..."

He smiled and kissed her hard. "I wouldn't trade any of this."

"I know you wouldn't." She leaned her forehead against his. "We should get some sleep."

He grinned. "Yeah, rest up. I'm going to take you again in an hour."

She snorted and rolled out of his arms. "Okay, stud."

Gale reached out and rested a tentative hand on her hip. Unless it was the girls, Katniss preferred distance when she slept. But she didn't push him away this time.

* * *

 _Katniss was in the dark again, but there was air flowing around them. A little fire burned close by and she felt someone there holding her. Familiar arms told her she was loved. In secret._

 _She looked over her shoulder and saw familiar eyes. Egypt, her mind told her. Where their love was forbidden. He was promised to the pharaoh's daughter. And she was a slave._

 _His hand cupped her cheek and kissed her deeply, that electric feel surged through her body and the rope in her chest was tight and short._

 _He pulled back and whispered, "Aida."_

"Radames." She whispered back just before she woke up to the feel of Gale's lips on her shoulder.

"What's that mean?" He asked, still kissing her flesh.

"It's a name." She said groggily.

He smiled against her skin. "You want to do some roleplaying?" He asked with a wicked gleam in his eye.

She shook her head and rolled into his arms, kissing him deeply. The dream was starting to fade, but the desire she felt in it was still there. It was a desire she rarely felt and it frightened her as much as it invigorated her. And she wanted to ride the wave.

They made love quickly and explosively. Afterward Katniss collapsed on Gale's chest.

It took a while to regain her senses. _Katniss's_ senses, not Aida's. Her mind fought against the slave girl's. _That woman_ was having a secret affair. _She_ was having sex with her husband.

She looked up at her him. His eyes were closed and a smile played on his lips. She rolled away and examined him some more at a slight distance. A strong brow curved into an almost delicate nose. His eyelashes were insanely long. Someone once lamented that it was a shame her husband had such long lashes and she didn't, but Katniss didn't mind having short eyelashes. Especially since he'd passed those eyelashes onto their daughters, so she thought it so much the better.

Her hand moved to his face where she gently traced the line of his strong jaw. A muscle worked under her finger and she reached to cup his cheek.

He opened his eyes slowly and asked softly, "Why do you do that?"

"Do what?" She asked as she moved closer and wrapped her body around his.

He turned his head. "You look at me every time like it's the first time you've ever seen me."

"It feels like the first time." She lied lamely. Really it was because she was trying to differentiate the dream from reality. She'd had that dream before, but never experienced the electric shock or the pull of the rope until after meeting Peeta. It always seemed real, but never so much as this time.

He shook his head. "The first time, I bit your lip and we fell off the bed. And I distinctly remember leaning on your hair more than once."

She laughed. " _You_ fell off the bed because you were trying some ridiculous porn move. _I_ stayed firmly on the mattress." She kissed his cheek. "And I distinctly remember that after it was all said and done, I looked at you and got to see this bit of you that no one else gets to see." She trailed her fingers down his chest and back up. "That you're actually really sweet when you want to be. And loving and kind." She dropped her voice. "And a really good lay."

He laughed heartily and rolled over, pulling her to his chest. Gale's fingers traced over her spine. "I am, aren't I?"

"This is the part where you're supposed to say, 'So are you.' or, 'You're firecracker in the bedroom.'"

He laughed. "More like a time bomb. It takes forever to even get you primed, but when you come, watch out!"

She laughed. "I can accept that." She watched him a moment and asked, "Does it still bother you? That I take forever?"

He shook his head. "It's all part of it now." He kissed her forehead. "You can sleep a little longer now. I think I'm satisfied enough."

She laughed again. "Good to know."

Rolling over, she pulled his arm over her waist and pressed her back into his chest. Gale rubbed his thumb slowly back and forth against her stomach and it was soothing. But Katniss was brought to her dream all the same. Different hands moved over her body. Somewhere in her mind she knew that the Radames in this dream was the same person who was in the other one. That he was Peeta.

It was all so confusing. How could she ever understand it herself? And how would she ever explain any of this to Gale?


	5. Chapter 5

_Author's note: I apologize that it's taken so long to update. I've been working on Worry Is Calling and now have a decent amount of chapters backlogged there._

 _As for this, I hope it sheds some light on all the relationships. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing._

 _I urge you to go take a look at my lovely beta's work. Everlylark, thank you so much for all your help and for letting me ramble on and on._

 _Happy reading._

 _ **If you're a little sensitive to reading about people getting sick and vomiting, be warned that it happens in this chapter.**_

Chapter Five

Madge had been part of Hawthorne Specialty Sporting Goods since she graduated from college with a degree in marketing. Bobby Hawthorne set her up as an intern for the first several months to make sure she was right for the position. Once at the job, she'd shown enough passion and drive for it that they added her on as a marketing team member. She'd recently been promoted to the head of social media.

Madge took process shots and posted them on all their social media sites. She spent a lot of her day moving from one work space to the next taking pictures and writing down updates on each of the projects. The rest of the day was spent updating the site and promoting all the possibilities in sporting equipment.

She made a lot of excuses to check on Gale throughout the day.

She stepped into his shop to find him working on a new kayak. The frame was put together and he was in the process of sanding it down in preparation for the next step. Madge knew more about the construction of kayaks than most of the others in the marketing team, thanks to her longing to be near Gale.

And there he stood, sweaty and covered in sawdust. She pulled out her phone and snapped a quick shot for personal use.

He looked up when he heard the shutter sound and gave her a weary smile. "Hey, Madge."

"Hi." She walked over and brushed her fingers down his bare forearm, sending a wave of electricity up to her elbow. Once she did, all the tension in her body disipated.

He jerked his arm away and looked wildly toward the door. "You can't do that, Madge."

"I should be able to." She slipped her hand into his and rubbed circles into the back with her thumb, reveling in the hum that radiated between them. "You didn't talk to Katniss, did you?"

He swallowed and shook his head. "There wasn't time."

She sighed and moved her hand away. "There never is." She picked up the digital camera and snapped a few shots of the vessel Gale worked on. "I feel wrong." She leaned against the opposite table.

"It's not like we're having an affair." He went back to sanding the length of the kayak frame. "There's nothing wrong in being soulmates."

She groaned. "So noble, Gale. But you know how I feel." She opened her mouth to say something else, but Katniss walked in.

"Hey, Gale, the school nurse just called and Becca is throwing up." Katniss walked over. "Hi, Madge." She said and then turned to her husband. "I'm going to run and get her. If it's too bad I'll come back to get my things and work at home the rest of the day. Your parents said she could hang out with them the rest of the day."

He nodded and kissed Katniss forehead, shooting Madge a quick pleading look. Madge could feel her face set in a frustrated scowl. _Sure, kiss her in front of me. That's awesome._

Gale smiled down at Katniss. "Bring her here to see me whatever you decide."

"I will." Katniss patted his chest and then stepped away. "I like your kayak." She grinned and sauntered out of the room.

Madge saw the look of contrition on Gale's face as his wife left the room.

"I get it." He said, turning back to his project. "I'll talk to her."

"I've been hearing that for five years." She said through gritted teeth.

He threw his hands up. "Maybe you shouldn't have tripped." A smile played on his lips. He was clearly trying to make light of the situation.

"And maybe you shouldn't have caught me." She wasn't in the mood to play his game today and turned on her heel, practically stomping out of the room.

Okay, that was harsh. But if he hadn't caught her that day at his parents' house, there was very little chance they would have a reason to touch otherwise. He did catch her, though, and they did feel the spark where his fingers brushed against the skin of her waist and their hands clasped together.

Then all the weird World War II dreams she'd had all her life suddenly made sense.

* * *

Gale knew he was being an ass. He knew Madge just wanted him to be truthful to Katniss. It all came down to his girls. He didn't want to ruin their view of him when it all went to hell, which he was sure would happen. Plus Katniss was his best friend. He loved her. He was sure it would shatter her more that he'd kept it from her all this time. He wished he could turn back the clock and sit down with Katniss the night after it happened.

However, that night she'd been uncharacteristically forward once Sam was asleep. They made love vigorously and then she'd rolled over and fallen asleep almost immediately after. They found out the next day that Katniss was nearly three months pregnant. And it never felt right from then on.

"Hi, Daddy." Becca's pathetic-sounding voice broke through his thoughts.

He looked up to see Katniss with their youngest daughter on her back. Gale lifted Becca up into his arms and kissed her cheek, pressing his nose into her hair. "I'm sorry you feel bad, baby girl." He led them both out of the room.

"I got a fever." She whined in his ear. He usually got onto her for whining, but he let it pass this time. She was sick, after all.

"I'm going to go ahead and work from home. If you can get a ride." She glanced into Madge's office as they passed.

Gale smiled and poked his head in. "Hey, Madge, do you think you can give me and Sam a ride after work. Katniss is taking Becca home."

Madge looked up from her phone, a bit of pink forming on her cheeks as she placed it face-down on her desk. "Sure." She walked around the desk and smiled at Becca. "Sorry you're sick, Becs."

"Mama said she'd make me soup." Becca piped up, her voice sounded hoarse.

Gale kissed her temple. "Thanks, Madge. I'll come find you at the end of the day." He followed Katniss out of the room and let out a long breath. "Soup, huh?"

Katniss smiled over her shoulder. "Yeah, the kind with the big noodles." She made her way down the hall to her studio.

"And the veggies." Becca added.

"Right." Katniss pushed open her door and stepped in.

Gale followed and let out a laugh. His wife's work surfaces were littered with piles of papers that never seemed to have any order to him, but she swore there was one. "You are so messy. How do you ever find anything in here?"

Katniss laughed. "I know exactly where everything is." She packed up several papers and her computer and pulled the strap over her head. "I have too much work."

Gale cupped her cheek as he stepped closer. "You always find a way to get it done." He kissed her softly and then looked at their daughter. "I'll walk you out."

They had to stop outside the car for Becca to vomit. Katniss pulled a plastic shopping bag from the back of the SUV and handed it over. "Please try not to puke in the car, baby." She begged.

"I'll try." Becca held the bag to her chest after Gale buckled her in. Tears leaked from her eyes. "I'm tired."

"Let's get you home." Katniss said, closing the door. She groaned and rested her head on Gale's shoulder. "I'll build your kayak if you go home and deal with the puke."

He snorted. "It would sink if I let you built it."

She chuckled and leaned her head back. "Kiss me. Before I catch the sickness and you won't want to."

He smiled and kissed her deeply. He whispered, "If you get sick you're sleeping on the couch."

"If I get sick, _you're_ sleeping on the couch." She countered as she slipped from between him and the car. They heard Becca start to get sick inside and Katniss made a face. "Damn." She said under her breath just before she climbed into the driver's seat.

Gale watched them drive away and then returned to the building. He stopped just outside of Madge's office and tapped on the door. It was closed this time.

"Come in." She called from the other side.

He opened the door and stepped in, closing it behind him.

"That's not smart." Madge commented, not looking up from her computer.

"I know." He walked over and leaned against the desk. "As soon as Becca is better, I'll talk to Katniss."

She typed loudly on the computer. "I'm working, Gale."

He reached across the desk and grabbed her wrist. He smiled at the familiar electric sensation that ran up his arm. "I dreamed about the war again last night."

She looked up, slipping her arm back until their hands met. "Do you think it ever stops?"

"I wish it would." He sighed and slipped his hand from hers. "I have to get back to my project. I'll see you later." He turned and started out the door.

"Hey!" She called after him.

He turned.

She held up her phone. A picture of him leaning over his work filled the screen. "If you want me to delete it, I will."

He shook his head. "Just don't let Katniss find out."

She sighed and nodded.

"I promise I'll say something soon." He said just before he left her office to get back to work.

Katniss sent him a text after an hour. **Puke count up to five times since we've been home. And one of those was me. Send reinforcements!**

Gale chuckled. **I know you've never been good with vomit. I'll take over after work. Hang tight for a few hours.**

 **She's about to finally fall asleep. Maybe I'll have a reprieve.** She responded a few minutes later. It was followed by, **AND SHE'S OUT! (With the largest bowl I could find beside her.)**

He smiled and sent the message, **Have a drink. You deserve it.**

 **I just might. You know the girls and I love you, right?**

His smile faltered when he read that text. The guilt was consuming him and he knew they needed to have a long talk. But not tonight.

 **I love you too.** He plugged his phone in by his desk and ignored it for the rest of the afternoon.

* * *

Katniss measured out a line on the bow she was designing. There was a computer program that she sometimes used, but she preferred to work with a pencil and paper. It was how her dad taught her.

She looked over her shoulder at Becca asleep on the spare bed. They were in a room that served as both a design studio and a guest bedroom. The girl's eyes were open, but heavy.

"Hey, baby." Katniss said as she slid off the chair and knelt beside the bed. "How are you feeling?"

Becca opened her mouth to talk, but she started gagging. Katniss quickly shoved the bowl under her chin as Becca let out the meager contents of her stomach. Katniss rubbed her daughter's back between the shoulder blades.

The girl looked up with a pathetic groan. "Mama, I don't feel good."

Katniss wiped at Becca's mouth with a rag she'd brought in earlier in the day. "I know." She scrunched up her nose at the bowl of vomit. "Do you need this again right now?"

Becca shook her head and collapsed on the bed. "Can I have water?"

"Of course, baby." Katniss leaned down and kissed her forehead and headed out of the room with the bowl. She held it out as far away from her as she could get it as she walked to the bathroom.

Gale called, "Catnip, we're home."

Katniss stopped in the hall between rooms. "I'm cleaning up vomit. Like I have been all day."

"I'll take over with that." He walked over and kissed her nose. "You go get work done."

"Thanks." She handed over the bowl of puke and scrubbed her hands. "It hasn't been so bad. She's been asleep for the last few hours."

He nodded and looked over her shoulder. "Madge said to tell you hi."

"Well, hi, Madge." She looked him over, wanting to ask if Madge had kissed him goodbye, but that was not something to joke about right now. She was sure it was more of a possibility if Sam wasn't in the car. Not that she knew whether or not they were having an affair, but the way they were looking at each other earlier…

Katniss got a glass of water and went back into the guest room where her things were set up. Becca was asleep again, her breathing a little labored. She placed the glass on the nightstand as she sat on the side of the bed and smoothed her daughter's hair away from her face.

Gale sat down on the other side of the bed. "I thought you were going back to work."

Katniss shrugged. "I wanted to sit here a second." She looked over. "Sam go to her room?"

He nodded. "She has homework."

She made a face. "Homework."

Gale placed his hand on Becca's forehead. "No fever."

"It broke just after we got home. The other stuff just keeps holding on." Katniss grabbed his hand. "I'm sorry I bailed today."

"You had other things more important to take care of." He assured her. "Anyone there would have driven me home."

Katniss watched him a moment and then stood. "I have to get back to work."

"We should talk." Gale said, walking around the bed.

Before either of them could say more, Becca sat up and started throwing up all over herself and the bed.

Gale scooped the girl up and brought her to the bathroom, stripping her down as Katniss ran the bath.  
He coughed a few times. "I think I'm gonna hurl."

"I think you better hold it in." Katniss warned as she kicked Becca's clothes out of the way so Gale could put her in the tub.

"Nope, I'm going to lose it." He gently placed Becca into the bathtub and leaned over the toilet and started retching.

"I'm not the only one with the puke problem." Katniss said.

Sam walked past and paused at the door. "What's for supper?"

Katniss and Gale raised their heads to their older daughter with matching looks of exasperation on their faces.

Katniss said, "Food is the last thing on my mind." She curled her lip at Gale as he leaned over the toilet again. "Are you done yet? Because you're stripping that bed."

He shook his head and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "No, I am not."

"I've been cleaning up after her all day." Katniss argued.

Sam said, "I'll just make some ramen." She wandered away.

Becca whined, "I don't feel good." And then she puked in the bathtub.

Gale leaned over the toilet again.

Katniss covered her mouth and nose and pulled the plug in the tub. Starting the shower, she pulled Becca to her feet. "I'm sorry you feel bad, baby." She looked over her shoulder. "I'm not sorry about you, Gale. Suck it up for five minutes and throw that comforter in the wash."

"Sure." He rushed out of the room as Katniss turned off the shower and wrapped Becca in a towel. "Feel any better?"

The girl nodded.

"How about we get you back in your bed and I'll get you some apple sauce?" Katniss said as she carried Becca into her bedroom. "You want me to help you get dressed or do you want to do it yourself?"

"I can do it." Becca said weakly.

"You sure?" Katniss sat her on the bed and turned to the dresser.

"No." She shivered and coughed again.

Katniss pulled a shirt over her head. "We'll get you something to eat and then you can sleep the rest of the night, okay?"

Becca nodded.

Just as Katniss helped Becca into bed, Gale stepped through the door holding a bowl in one hand and a cup in the other. "Who wants apple sauce and Sprite?"

Becca smiled weakly. "Me."

Gale sat down on the edge of the bed and held out the bowl. "You're going to be just fine."

With a grateful smile, Katniss kissed Becca and Gale on their foreheads. She walked into the kitchen to find Sam eating ramen, a book propped up in front of her using the salt shaker. She kissed the top of her daughter's head before she slid into the neighboring seat.

"How was your day?" Katniss asked.

Sam shrugged. "Long."

Katniss smiled. "You're telling me."

Sam looked up at her mother, blinking a few times before she asked, "Do you like Madge?"

"Of course I like Madge." Katniss said. "Why?"

Sam shrugged. "You don't like a lot of people."

Katniss laughed. "I like the people that count." She stood and opened the fridge, pulling out a bowl of leftover lasagna from a few days before.

Gale came in and wrapped an arm around Katniss's waist. "She fell asleep."

"She needs it." Katniss held out the lasagna. "Want some?"

He made a disgusted face. "I'm not eating again for a while."

Katniss shrugged. "More for me." She stepped out of his embrace and shoved the bowl in the microwave.

For the rest of the evening, Gale and Katniss took turns checking on Becca. She slept hard well after they went to bed. Katniss got settled and watched Gale on the other side of the mattress.

He smiled and ran his hand down her arm. "What?"

"Nothing." She started to roll away, but she just had to ask, "Are you and Madge sleeping together?"

"No." He answered, maybe a little too quickly. "There's only you, Catnip."

"I mean, I guess I couldn't fault you. I only let you have your fun with me three times a year." She chewed her lip uncertainly.

"Well, I don't need your body to get pleasure from you. Sometimes just a thought is enough to drive me over the edge."

"Really?" She grabbed his hand as it drifted over her wrist.

He smiled. "Why do you think I take such long showers?" He moved closer and rested his forehead against hers. "You're my main girl. Besides, when would I have time or privacy for anything to happen with Madge?"

Katniss felt something was being unsaid, but before she could demand the rest, Becca came stumbling into the room. She didn't even need to ask. Gale got out of bed, scooped her up, and carried her the rest of the way across the room.

"I feel better." Becca said groggily.

"I'm glad." Gale said as he nestled her between himself and Katniss.

Becca was asleep a few breaths later.

"I'm not your main girl." Katniss said as she combed her fingers through Becca's hair. "These two are."

Gale shook his head. "Get some sleep, Catnip."

There was something in the way he spoke that assuaged her worry over Madge. Maybe it was an innocent crush on Madge's part. She was too tired to dwell on it, anyway. Her eyes drifted closed. Thankfully, they were all able to sleep through the night without any more puke.

* * *

 _Gale was in so much pain. He'd experienced this dream so many times that he was ready for it, but he was never used to it. In this life he was a British Army lieutenant named Christopher Charles._

 _A face with a kind smile and bright green eyes came into view. Madge. In this lifetime she was Ingrid Falk, a nurse. All his life he'd had the dream lying on the bed in pain, screaming for his mother. After he caught Madge that day, she appeared._

 _When she touched him, the pain died down. It was still there, but the electrical hum of her skin on his helped to drown it out each time._

 _"How do you feel today, Lieutenant?" She asked, her voice thick with a German accent. Her family had quickly fled Germany when Hitler started gaining power. Her father was a farmer and his skills could be used anywhere. He was right. Ingrid had been barely sixteen at the time._

 _"I'm always better when you're around." He said softly. He looked down to see her fill a needle._

 _"The doctor said you can have another dose of the pain medication." She injected him with it and she sat on his bed. "I'll sit here until you fall asleep."_

 _"Thank you." His eyes grew heavy. "Will you read me that letter from my mother again?"_

 _Ingrid smoothed the hair away from Christopher's face. "I'll write a letter for you. You know I will."_

 _"Just read me to sleep, please, Ingrid." He requested. No use trying to think through the fog of the medicine._

 _She picked up the letter and opened it. She'd committed it to memory in the few days he'd been here. "'Dearest Christopher, We miss you terribly. Your brother says as soon as he is old enough he will join. Your father and I have tried to talk him out of it and we hope desperately for the end to this terrible war before he is old enough._

 _'Your sister has completed her nurse training and will join the fray all too soon. We pray daily for your safety and hers._

 _Please say a prayer for her every time she crosses your mind._

 _'Please write home, Chris. We miss you and we want to know you are well._

 _'All our love, Mama, Papa, Jacob, and Katy.'"_

 _Christopher slowly opened his eyes. "Will you please write a response? Tell them I am well and I pray daily for them all and for the end of this war myself."_

 _Ingrid nodded. "Anything else?"_

 _"They can't know I'm injured." He begged._

* * *

Katniss shook his shoulder. "Time to get up, Gale."

Gale's eyes slowly opened, the pain from the dream melting away.

She smiled down at him. "Hi there."

The corner of his mouth lifted. "What?"

"You were talking in your sleep. Something about being injured." She shrugged. "Must have been an intense dream."

He nodded and sat up to stretch. "Where's Becca?"

"Eating breakfast like she wasn't just throwing up everything that touched her stomach yesterday." She leaned down. "I got up early and made biscuits and gravy. So you better get your ass down there before it's all gone."

He smiled and pulled her down on top of him. "If the girls are occupied with breakfast…"

She shook her head and pushed herself up. "Your breath smells like feet covered in ten months-worth of garbage that's been baking in the sun."

"Very specific." He sat on the edge of the bed and stretched.

"Well, you have horrible morning breath. So brush your teeth and that could be worth a kiss later." She got up and sauntered out of the room.

Gale rubbed his face. He looked over to see his phone light up with a text from Madge.

She wrote, **That one's my favorite. It was the day Ingrid fell in love with Christopher.**

He typed out his response, **It was love at first touch for Christopher.**

 _God, this is so wrong…_


	6. Chapter 6

_Author's note: I'm so sorry it took so long to get this to you. Just so you know, there is some Everthorne sexy times. There will be a bit more in the coming chapters._

 _BUT there are some nice Everlark moments. And some cute kids. Ever heard of Shopkins?_

 _Many thanks to my beta Everlylark for helping get this chapter polished. Go check out her stuff._

 _I also want to thank writingbutunpublished for listening to me ramble about this and all my stories._

 _Happy reading!_

Chapter Six

Katniss watched hungrily as Gale walked into the kitchen. She would be lying if she said she hadn't been tempted when he pulled her on top of him. Her dreams had become more and more graphic and had increased her sexual urges so much more than when she was pregnant with Becca.

Katniss wrapped her arms around Gale from behind as he filled a plate. She kissed his neck and whispered, "Want that kiss now?"

After a moment, he turned in her arms. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her lips. He lifted his head and whispered, "We should play hooky."

"Both of us have projects pending." She whispered back.

"Yeah, well, my project for you is pretty big."

Katniss threw her head back and laughed. "I'll think about it."

Gale sat down with the girls to eat. Katniss poured him a cup of coffee and kissed the top of his head as she sat it in front of him.

Becca made a face. "Ew! Kissing!"

Sam just shook her head and averted her eyes. She mumbled something about parents being embarrassing.

"I need to get some socks. Twenty minutes until we leave." Katniss kissed each of her girls on the temple, and pressed her lips to Gale's cheek, before she hurried out of the room.

Katniss reached into the bedside drawer and took out one of their condoms to stuff into her pocket. Hopefully it didn't fall out at an in appropriate time.

* * *

Gale got to work on the kayak as soon as he got into the studio, but was interrupted by his phone going off with Katniss's tone.

 **Come here. Now. There isn't much time.**

Gale dropped his tools and casually made his way down the hall. He let himself into his wife's office.

Katniss grinned and pressed him against the door. "You have ten minutes." She pressed something into his hand and he looked down to see a condom.

He laughed. "Are you serious about this?"

She nodded, rubbing him over his pants. "Look, I know that I've been a little cold and the last few years have been sort of obligation, but I do like making love to you."

"Ten minutes is a little shy of making love."

"Then a quick, hard fuck is in order." She unbuttoned his pants. "Nine minutes now. I have a meeting with your dad."

He ripped open the package while she pulled his length free. "Just a reminder, Catnip, I don't care if it's once a week or once a year."

She grabbed the condom out of his hand. "You're horrible with time management." She rolled it on. "We can't make a lot of noise."

"We can't make any." He pushed her jeans down and then twisted her around, bending her over at the waist.

Katniss braced her hands on the desk. "You should lock that door."

Gale reached over and pressed the button. He quickly entered her and immediately started moving. It was invigorating to be doing something so risky. When they were still dating, they'd snuck into a supply closet to make out and gotten caught. That had resulted in a very uncomfortable tongue-lashing from Hazelle. It hadn't helped that Katniss had been topless at the time.

Now that they were married, there was no telling what sort of punishment they would get if they were caught. Hopefully none since they wouldn't.

Gale could feel himself growing close. He had to grit his teeth and grip Katniss's hips tight to keep from crying out as he met his climax. He felt her contracting around him, so he knew that he wasn't the only one to receive pleasure.

He pulled away and removed the condom. "Better wrap that up."

She laughed and offered a tissue before she pulled her pants back up. "That was fun."

"What was it you said the other day?" He buttoned his jeans. "It's always fun." He pulled her in for a deep kiss just as someone knocked on the door. "Duty calls."

Gale opened the door. "Hey, Dad." He clapped his father on the shoulder and walked down the hall to get back to work.

After he'd been working for a while, his shop door opened and Katniss came in. She leaned against the table and watched Gale work for a few silent minutes.

Eventually she said, "You want to take a weekend away? Just us?"

He turned and watched her a minute. "Are you on something?"

She snorted and stepped closer. "No. Maybe it's hormones."

He paused a minute and started counting on his fingers.

"Not pregnancy hormones." She said quickly. "I wouldn't know that for at least another couple weeks anyway." She trailed her hand over his chest. "Something has shifted in me and I don't know what it is. But I just really-"

"I'm so sorry." Madge said from the doorway.

Katniss dropped her hand. "I have orders pending."

Gale grabbed her arm. "I think a weekend would be good. You start research and we'll talk tonight. Maybe for New Year's."

"Okay." She kissed his hand and left the room, waving at Madge as she passed.

"Katniss?" Madge called.

Katniss turned and gave her a forced smile. "Yeah?"

 _Please, Madge. Please don't._ Gale begged.

"Do you have anything I can update on the site?" Madge asked. "You always finish things before I can get there."

"I'm about to start. You should come chronicle the whole process." Katniss gestured toward Gale. "His projects take so long, it's easy to catch him."

Madge laughed and looked over at him. "That's true." She raised the camera and snapped a shot. "Progress." She followed Katniss to her office.

Gale worked the rest of the morning while worrying that Madge would spill the beans.

* * *

Katniss really liked Madge. The two had been casual friends in high school and had lost touch when Madge left for college a short time after Katniss's parents had died. Their lives had gone in completely different directions.

They'd moved to their current building three years before. There were times in the past where Katniss would see Madge look at Gale with an odd sort of longing. She brushed it off. Now that they worked in the same building and were seeing each other every day, Katniss was more than convinced Madge was in love with Gale. And it seemed to be more evident as the days passed.

Madge snapped pictures as Katniss looked over a printed order form. "So how does it work?" Madge asked.

Katniss looked up and smiled. "Well, most of it is pretty straightforward. They fill out a form with measurements and tension specifications and all that." She pointed to the wall where several standard bows hung. "I use these as templates."

Madge took a picture.

"Then I add color or stain and send it off." Katniss moved toward the wall and picked a bow. "So why have you really been avoiding me? You've been in charge of social media for almost a year now."

Madge shrugged. "I didn't want to get in your way. I remember from school that you keep to yourself. Don't let a lot of people in." She took some pictures as Katniss made some measurements. "And I also kind of saw this as your sacred time. Because of your dad, you know."

Katniss felt a tightening in her throat and averted her eyes until she trusted her tears wouldn't fall. "Thank you. I'm really proud of my work. I know Dad would have been proud of it, too."

"So what's this bow you're working on? Anything fancy?"

Katniss laughed and shook her head. "Not fancy. The person requesting is petite and she's had trouble in the past getting a bow that was the right tension and size. Most of the bows that she can handle are sized and designed for children, so the tension isn't right or they're too flimsy."

"So you're just making a standard bow at a smaller scale?" Madge made a note on her phone and set it aside to start taking more pictures. "Perfect time to chronicle your work."

Katniss chuckled. "I can show you pictures of the one I just made for Gale. I usually take a lot of process shots." Katniss wrote down her measurements and waved Madge toward the computer. "His anniversary present. It's good that I work fast because I used up quite a bit of company time to get this done."

Madge laughed. "Perks of being the daughter-in-law of the owners. I'm sure they wouldn't get upset."

Katniss clicked around on her computer until she sound the process shots. "I had Becca and Sam write their names, then I made a stencil, and I painted them on."

"That's so cool. Have you done something like this before?" Madge leaned forward to look at the pictures.

"With quotes a couple times, but never names." Katniss really was proud of her work.

Katniss went back to her project and Madge followed with her camera. Except for the clicking of the shutter, it was quiet in the room. Katniss moved around, thinking about the events of the morning and wondering how Madge would react if she knew she was standing where Gale had stood with his pants around his ankles earlier that morning.

As she worked Katniss's mind ran away with her. She was on the verge of asking, "Are you in love with my husband?" so many times that she imagined half a dozen responses.

They ranged from laughter at the absurdity to pleading forgiveness for indulging their desires in Madge's office.

At lunch, Gale stuck his head in the doorway and asked, "You want to go home for lunch or go out?"

"I could really use a burger." Katniss said, straightening up from leaning over her drafting table. "Madge, you should come along."

"Oh, I brought something from home." Madge said dismissively.

"It'll still be there tomorrow." Gale said. "Or, you already have supper that way. It's on me. We'll walk across to the diner."

Madge thought about it a minute and then nodded. "Let me put the camera up."

Katniss grabbed the front of Gale's shirt and pulled him in for a kiss.

"What's that for?" He asked.

She shrugged. "Just felt like it." She slipped her hand into his and led him out of her office.

* * *

Peeta waved at the last customer as he locked up after him. "Hey, Dad, I have to get Cal. What else do I need to do?"

Conrad boxed up the last of the chocolate chip cookies and handed them over. "Take those. When you get back, I need you to inventory the cake decoration tools. I know we're running low on some stuff. I'll put in an order first thing."

Peeta nodded. "Thanks." He hurried out the back door and across town to the Hawthorne home. He'd been thinking all day about seeing Katniss again. And talking to her about those dreams.

He pulled into the driveway behind the SUV and strolled up to the front door. Before he had a chance to do more than tap a knuckle on the door, it swung open to reveal Katniss standing there.

She smiled and held out her hand for him to shake.

He slipped his hand into hers and they stood there for several silent moments as the pulse radiated between them.

Katniss pulled away first. "Come on in, I was just about to get something from the car." She waved him through the door.

"Really?" Peeta asked with a sideways grin as he passed her.

"Really." She bounded down the steps and he couldn't help but glance back just before he was tackled around the middle by his daughter.

"Hi, Daddy! Do we have to leave right away?" Callie asked. Her voice was full of joy and a little breathless.

Peeta smoothed her hair back from her forehead. "I'll give you five more minutes."

"Thanks, Dad!" The two little girls ran away.

Gale stepped into the room drying his hands. "Hi." He said with a smile.

"Hi." Peeta held out the white box. "My dad sent cookies."

"Awesome!" Gale took the offered box. "I was just about to fire up the grill. You guys want to stay for supper?"

"Can we, Dad?" Callie asked, sliding down the hall on her socks.

Peeta chuckled. "Sure. Let me send my stepmom a text so she knows we won't be there."

"Super sweet, Daddy!" Callie giggled as she and Becca took off down the hall once more.

Peeta shook his head. "Are you supposed to be doing that?"

"It's fine." Gale waved Peeta into the kitchen. "Come in."

Peeta nodded and followed just as Katniss came into the house.

She said, "I looked and I cannot find the buns. Are you sure you even bought them?"

"I know I bought them. I told Sam to get them." Gale paused. "But she was on my phone messaging a friend."

"Bread for buns it is!" Katniss sighed.

"Sorry, Catnip. Shopping with an almost-10-year-old." Gale shrugged.

Peeta made a gesture to get their attention. "If you have yeast, flour, and vegetable oil, I can throw together some buns in less than an hour. And they definitely taste better than you get from the store."

Katniss and Gale exchanged a look and then nodded. "Sure." Gale said. "It takes a bit, anyway, since I'm doing charcoal." He pointed to Katniss. "She'll get you all you need. Thanks, man."

Peeta listed all the things he needed and Katniss got him the ingredients. Mixing it all together was second nature, so he went to work and got a little lost in it. He could hear the girls laughing and playing in the other room.

Katniss broke into his thoughts. "Have you been having dreams?"

He slowly turned his head. "Yeah." _And what lovely dreams they are._ He swallowed and leaned in to whisper, "Steamy ones."

She rested her hand on his arm where it was covered by his sleeve and tilted her head. She moved her hand down and he jumped at the spark. "Must have to be skin-to-skin."

"Yeah." Peeta's breathing grew labored and he moved away. "Look, I can't... I won't mess with your marriage."

"I'm not planning on it." She said quickly. "But what does it all mean?"

He shrugged and divided the dough into equal size balls. "I always had this weird obsession with Ancient Egypt."

She smiled. "Me too."

He covered the dough and leaned against the counter beside her. "So what do you want to do, Aida?"

She shrugged. "Probably best not to call me Aida. I haven't said anything to Gale yet." She paused and said, "Radames."

He gave her a concerned look. "I haven't told anyone because I was waiting for you to. It's probably not good to keep this sort of thing from him."

"I know." She touched his bare forearm again and smiled. "I think I like this."

He pulled away. "I do too. So you should probably stop."

"About the dreams—"

Sam walked in and paused. "Oh, hey. Mom, can I go to Hayley's for a while?"

"Maybe tomorrow. We have company." Katniss walked toward her older daughter. "Play your cards right and you may get a sleepover."

"You're joking. I never get to sleep over at anyone's house."

Katniss shrugged. "Your dad and I have been talking. You're old enough to maybe start." She kissed Sam's forehead. "Go help Dad with the grill."

"Yes, ma'am." Sam left the room.

Peeta turned to the oven and twisted it to the right temperature. It was one of those that you had to punch a button to start it.

Katniss commented, "Most people take forever to figure that out."

"I've seen my fair share of ovens." He straightened up. "Do you think we'll ever figure out what that darkness is all about? You know, in the dreams?"

She shrugged. "I'm more concerned about the ones that are happening right now."

He snorted. "Well, at least you have some help in that department."

He watched as her cheeks reddened. "It's been wild, to say the least."

Gale came in with Becca and Callie wrapped around each of his legs. "My feet are crazy heavy." He said. "I don't know what happened. I just walked through the door and all the sudden, it's like walking through syrup."

The girls giggled and then Sam jumped onto his back.

Gale laughed and grabbed her arms to hold her on. "Oh, no! Weight on my shoulders. I can't last!"

Katniss hurried forward. "My love, I never thought I'd lose you like this." She cupped his cheeks. "I'll never forget you."

"Avenge me, Katniss." He pressed his lips to hers briefly.

"Ew, they're kissing!" Becca squealed and released her father's legs.

"Gross!" Callie ran after Becca as she left the room. Peeta could hear their feet pounding up the stairs.

Sam kissed her father's cheek and then dropped to the floor.

Peeta caught Gale winking at his older daughter and then he pulled Katniss close, whispering in her ear something that make Katniss smile.

Peeta was filled with envy. After Alex died, Peeta was in such a fog that he hardly knew what was up or down. He did know Callie. And his daughter, with her bright, inquisitive nature, helped pull him out of his grief enough to keep going.

However, as he healed, and the full impact of Alex's passing sunk in, he realized he'd never have moments like the one he'd witnessed. Delly and Ryan were just as playful with their brood. It was a real punch to the gut when the family got together. Plus, with so many family members, there was always something to celebrate. He couldn't get away from it.

He slid the hamburger buns into the oven and the sound must have broken the family apart.

"How long do those need to be in there?" Katniss asked.

"Probably about twenty minutes." Peeta said. "We'll keep an eye on them."

Katniss nodded.

Callie came in and tugged on Peeta's hand. "Daddy, you have to come see Becca's room. She has so many Shopkins!"

Peeta laughed and looked between Katniss and Gale. "Do you mind?"

Gale shook his head.

Katniss said, "It's fine."

"All right, Cal." He followed his daughter up the stairs.

It was a decent size house, about as big as the one he now shared with his father and stepmother. Becca's room was the first one at the top of the stairs. It was messy, but Peeta could tell that was from normal play. Along one wall was a bed that was made by child's hands, the corner of the comforter under the pillow didn't quite go all the way to the edge of the mattress.

"Lookie, Daddy." Callie held open a shoebox that was about half full of Shopkins.

It was a relatively new trend to him. Little foods and shoes and other things with faces and punny names. They were cute. And he'd be lying if he said he didn't like the trend. He was really fond of the baked goods.

"Wow." Peeta said, kneeling down to get a closer look. "That's a lot."

Becca nodded. "Everybody got me Shopkins for my birthday. And I got money, too."

"And you bought more Shopkins?" Peeta asked.

The little girl nodded again. "I got a lot of doubles. Mama says there are people on the internet that will buy the ones they're missing. And then I can get more!"

"That sounds like a good plan." He handed the box back. "Which one's your favorite?"

Becca started lining her favorites up on the top of her bookshelf, naming all of them. He recognized a few.

"Daddy, can I get more Shopkins?" Callie asked when Becca paused to take a breath.

Peeta pulled Callie in and kissed her temple. "Sure thing." He straightened up. "I'm going back downstairs."

He felt the tug in his chest as he started making his way down the stairs. Katniss was alone at the stove. After a slight hesitation, he walked over and gently grabbed her wrist. He felt the energy radiating between them and felt a calm wash over him.

She smiled and then removed her arm from his grasp. His eyes followed her everywhere she went the rest of the evening, trying to be discrete about it. He wasn't sure if he succeeded or not, but since Gale never called him on it, Peeta was sure he was.


	7. Chapter 7

_Author's note: So sorry for such a long time since the last chapter. I now have my fic Worry Is Calling completely written and I'm going to focus on this for a bit. There are three more chapters written and I'm going to try really hard to keep up with it until November. At that time I'm going to be pausing all my fic writing to focus on National Novel Writing Month. I may try to have stuff edited and ready to go to update during the month. We'll see how it goes..._

 _Some Everthorne in this, so just prepare yourselves. There's no way to cut it and it's pretty relevant to the whole story._

 _Many thanks to my awesome beta Everlylark, who has been so supportive and helpful through this whole thing. Go check out her Tumblr!_

 _And speaking of Tumblr, you can find me over there if you want to talk or see snippets of stuff before it's published here. I'm booksrockmyface over there._

 _Happy reading!_

Chapter Seven

Katniss kept feeling the rope tug all through the meal. Peeta and Gale spent most of the meal in conversation, so she didn't have to do a lot of talking. Katniss was never good at small talk anyway.

It didn't help that looking at Peeta brought flashes of her dreams to mind. Sweaty bodies sliding together. Heat from within and without. Voices raised in ecstasy.

"Katniss?" Gale's voice broke through and she felt her face warming up.

She blinked a few times. "What?"

Gale chuckled. "You were thousands of miles away."

"Just daydreaming." Katniss glanced toward Peeta and she could see he knew what she was thinking. "Sorry. What were we talking about?"

Katniss wasn't sure how she made it through the last half hour of Peeta's presence, but she did. The line in her chest snapped with the closing of Peeta's car door. She felt drained. Trying not to be distracted by the arousing memories from her dreams was work in itself. How would she ever manage this? How did anyone?

* * *

Katniss sat up, panting heavily. Images of Peeta lying naked beneath her still filled her vision. No, not Peeta. _Radames_ , her mind whispered.

She felt sweat soaking through her clothes. A glance at the alarm clock made her sigh. It would go off in ten minutes, no time to even settle back in.

And she didn't want to.

She left the alarm for Gale, sparing only a glance at his prone form in the bed with Becca curled into his side before she gathered her things and headed for the bathroom. She had to relieve the pressure that had been building from the moment Peeta walked in their door the evening before.

She stepped under the spray and leaned her hand on the wall, her legs spread, her other hand making its way to her clit. It was swollen and she was sure it wouldn't take long for her to come.

"Katniss?" Gale said softly.

She paused, turned her head slowly, and saw her husband standing outside the tub. He was naked, sleep still in his eyes, but there was also a bit of hunger around the edges.

"Can I help with that?" He asked as he stepped into the shower, pulling the curtain back in place. Not waiting for her answer, he stepped behind her and he slid his hand along her arm until it rested over the one she braced on the wall. He tangled their fingers together.

"You don't have to." _But it would be nice to have some help._ After a slight hesitation, she leaned her head back on his shoulder and tangled her fingers in his hair. He started to stroke her aching flesh and she moaned. "Right there."

He rubbed more earnestly, kissing her shoulders. Both made hardly any noise.

Katniss met her climax with a soft, "Oh." She clung to Gale as her body rocked against his hand. When she finally came back down, she pulled his arms around her. She was suddenly filled with an overwhelming array of emotions and she dropped her head to her chest as she sobbed.

"Katniss, are you okay?" He asked as he held her.

"I think so." She let go of his arms when she noticed the pressure of his erection pressing against her back. That was the last thing she needed. She could still feel the tears on her face as she reached for the shampoo, but they were thankfully washed away by the water flowing from the showerhead.

"Is there something going on?" He rested a hand on her shoulder. "Something bothering you?"

"I'm fine, Gale." She snapped, stepping away from him and keeping her eyes anywhere but his obvious arousal.

They bathed in silence. Katniss got out before Gale and began drying off. Her thoughts still ran through the dream she'd woken from.

He exited the shower and took another towel out of the cabinet. "So dad wants to go hunting this weekend. Want to come?"

"Gun season just started. I don't think I'll be able to get anything with my bow." She started drying her hair with the towel. "You should spend time with your dad anyway, just the two of you."

He nodded. "Okay." He wrapped the towel around his waist. "You think Sam will want to come?"

Katniss smiled and nodded. "She might."

"Becs can come next time." Gale leaned in and tried to kiss her, but she quickly moved away. "Katniss, what's going on with you?"

"Nothing. Just not in the mood for a kiss right now." Moving to the sink, she reached for her toothbrush and toothpaste.

Gale shook his head and stepped beside Katniss.

They finished getting ready, moving around so automatically it could have been choreographed. Katniss was distracted by her thoughts of her dream. She wanted to tell Gale about it, but she didn't at the same time. How would she even bring that up? Tell Gale that the only reason she wanted sex with him was because she was dreaming about having sex with someone else in a past life? The thought was absurd.

Their morning routine was hectic. To say the least.

It was Katniss's turn to make breakfast. She was going to make scrambled eggs, but there were only three eggs left. Gale and Becca could down three each. She groaned.

"Cereal." Gale suggested, pulling bowls and boxes out of the cabinets. He passed them around and they girls started filling their bowls.

As she was pouring the milk, Becca spilled cereal on her lap.

Katniss sighed. "Go on and change, baby. But hurry. We don't have time to dawdle. I'll have this ready for you."

Katniss looked over to see Sam scramble to get her homework finished. "Sam-Sam, what are you doing?"

"Math homework." She explained. "It's due first thing."

"You should have done that last night." Gale said.

Sam groaned. "I know, Dad. But I had a headache last night."

Katniss quickly pressed a hand to Sam's forehead. They didn't need another sick kid after they were sure it all had passed.

Sam waved off her mother's hand. "I'm fine, Mom." She stuffed the paper in her backpack. "It was just a headache. It's gone now."

"Good." Katniss turned toward the door and called, "Rebecca Hawthorne, you better get yourself in here and finish breakfast."

Becca stepped through the door with a put-upon look on her face. "I couldn't find a shirt." She slid into her chair and shoveled cereal into her mouth. "It's all soggy." She groaned.

"Maybe you should have gotten dressed faster." Katniss suggested, tipping her own bowl to her mouth.

Gale looked up at the clock. "Time to get going. Socks, shoes, backpacks."

Then Sam couldn't find a pair of shoes that matched and Becca had a meltdown over her socks "squeezing her legs." Gale found her a pair of her sister's socks that fell down, but apparently that was better than socks that were getting too small.

They finally got in the car and Becca screamed that she needed the bathroom. Gale told her to hold it. "We'll be at school in less than two minutes."

Katniss dropped the girls off and then headed to the shop. She parked and Gale placed his hand on her arm before she could get out.

"Can we talk?" He asked softly.

"What about?" _Please don't ask about this morning._

"You do a great job with them." He slid his hand down to press his fingers between hers. "I don't think we talk about it enough. You're fantastic."

"When you're a mother from a young age, sometimes it gets a little second nature." She squeezed his hand. "You're doing a great job with them too."

He leaned close. "Can I have a kiss now?"

She smiled and pressed her lips against his for a quick peck.

"I love you." Gale murmured against her lips before he kissed her again.

Katniss grinned and pushed him away. "We have a shit ton of work to do." She got out and walked toward the door without looking behind her.

She had her plans all ready and most of her equipment in place. She stood in her office and tried to work on her own, but decided it was far too quiet. So many memories of the dream flooded her mind again. There was no way she would get anything done without some sort of motivation. Gale always provided that just by his presence. She picked up her phone and sent Gale a message.

 **Can I come work with you?**

Gale's reply came very quickly. **Sure. I'll clean off a table for you.**

Katniss gathered her things and made her way down the hall to Gale's shop. As promised, there was a work table clear for her.

"Thanks. It was boring in my own room." She commented as she started setting out her tools.

He chuckled. "It gets pretty old. Remember before we moved here when we were all on top of each other?"

"I remember." She looked over the wood she'd just started carving for a new bow. "That's where I got to see everything done. Why I wanted to work here with you when my dad died. Not just because I already knew everything from him."

Gale walked over and leaned against the opposite end of the table. "I know you miss them most this time of year. But I promise that they would be proud of you."

Katniss nodded and kept working. She hated crying when other people could see. Not Gale so much. She didn't mind showing off her emotions to him. He'd seen them all anyway. She wasn't a good pregnant woman and had shown all of them to him both times, going from happy to angry to sad all at the drop of a hat.

He walked around and wrapped an arm around her waist. "Is that what's been going on? Why you've been so hot and cold?"

"It's a lot of things." She leaned into his side. "I must be going through a mid-life crisis or something."

He snorted. "You're not even thirty yet. You can't be going through a mid-life crisis."

She laughed and pressed her eyes into his shoulder. "Maybe."

The door opened up and Madge stepped in, stopping short when she saw the couple. "Oh, I'm sorry. I can come back later."

She started to back away, but Katniss called, "It's fine. We were just about to get back to work." She gently pushed Gale away. "You have three orders to finish before the end of the week."

He sighed and moved back to his workstation.

Madge stood awkwardly just inside the door. "So I'm putting together a packet for the successful holiday season. We've got sales way up this year. Do you guys mind if I take some shots?" She held up her camera.

"Go for it." Gale said, leaning over a set of oars he was crafting to match a double kayak he'd made the year before.

Katniss knew how talented her husband was and she loved whenever someone placed an order with him. He always showed off his sketches and shared files with her constantly through the whole process. She was distracted by the clicking of the camera, but also by the steady movement of Gale's hands as he sanded and shaped the second oar to match the first.

When Madge turned to her, Katniss went back to work. The carving was almost done.

She still had to shape it and that took a while. She had a special set-up in her shop for the process that she could put it in later. She had arrows to make anyway.

"I think it will make a nice little shot to see husband and wife working in the same room." Madge said. Something in her voice seemed off to Katniss, but she brushed it off when Madge spoke again. "It really promotes the family business." She stood back and took several pictures of both Katniss and Gale working. "Looks good. I'll leave you two alone now."

Katniss continued to work as Madge left. But after a while, she noticed the sound of her sanding was the only one in the room. She looked up to see Gale watching her intently. They shared a smile and then he went back to work.

There was very little talk all morning. Gale asked Katniss to help him with a few things and she asked his opinion on her own designs. They worked so well together.

At lunchtime, Gale stood and stretched. "How about I go get us some sandwiches and we can eat in here?"

Katniss looked at his work station. All his projects were neatly arranged. "Are you on track with your deadlines?"

"I'm a little behind." He admitted, looking over his things.

She nodded. "I'm actually ahead. So you keep working and I'll get food."

When Katniss returned from her food run she noticed Gale had cleared off his main worktable and placed a sheet over it. A series of boxes were placed beside it to create steps.

"A picnic?" Katniss asked.

Gale smiled and held out his hand. "Yes. Because we don't do enough spontaneously."

She sat the bags of food on the table and slipped her hand into Gale's as he helped her up onto the table. He followed her up and dug through the bag.

"You got me a Reuben." He said as he pulled it out. "This looks awesome."

"It does. I got myself a turkey club. And…" She lifted out a large Styrofoam container and opened it. "Cheese fries."

Gale gasped. "I knew there was a reason I married you." He reached over and picked up one of the fries, a long string of melted cheese following.

Katniss laughed. "Yeah, because I know you like cheese fries. Not because you love me or anything."

"I'll love you for the rest of my life, Catnip." He said softly.

She swallowed the bite she'd taken and then pulled on his shirt, meeting him with a kiss. "I know you will. No matter what happens, I'll always love you too, Gale."

She sat back and they ate their meal in silence. Gale had his hand resting on her leg. Katniss smiled, rubbing his knuckles. She wanted to dawdle for a while, but she knew that they were both under a time-crunch.

She popped the last bite into her mouth and hopped off the table. "Let's make some Christmas wishes come true." She stepped toward her pile of work.

He sighed heavily and got up. "I guess so."


	8. Chapter 8

_Author's note: So sorry it has been so long since I last updated. I'm participating in National Novel Writing Month starting next week and I am going to get a chapter of this edited so that I can publish in a couple weeks. Thanks so much for keeping up with this. This chapter is a little heavy, so prepare yourself for some feels_

 _Much thanks to my awesome beta Everlylark!_

 _Happy reading._

Chapter Eight

It was the Sunday before Thanksgiving. Peeta and Callie usually spent their Sundays with Finnick and Annie and their family, but this one would also have extra guests as the Odairs hosted an early Thanksgiving meal for their extended family.

Peeta and Callie walked into the house to the sound of Nell crying loudly. The baby was only a few weeks old, but she was already as loud and demanding as the rest of the Odair clan.

Callie dropped her coat and ran forward to look up at Finnick as he bounced the baby and tried to coax her into drinking her bottle. "Why are you making her cry, Finnick?"

With a weary laugh, Finnick shook his head. "I'm doing my best to get her to stop." He held her out to Peeta. "Here, you're the baby whisperer. You try."

Peeta handed the groceries to Callie and took Nell into his arms, accepting the bottle Finnick held out. He slowly started swaying. "Hey, you. Why are you giving your folks a hard time?" He offered the bottle to Nell. She still fussed a bit, but eventually accepted the nipple in her mouth and started sucking hard.

Annie looked up from the pot on the stove. "Miracle worker!"

Callie smiled proudly. "My daddy's magic." She walked in and held up the bags to Annie.

"He sure is." Finnick inclined his head toward the kitchen. "Come hang out. I can finally help Annie cook."

"Did you get all the stuff for the dressing?" Annie asked as she took the bags Callie carried.

Peeta nodded. "Sure did." he nudged Callie up the stairs with the tip of his shoe. "I'm sure Maggie and Pearl have been waiting for you."

His daughter ran up the stairs without any further prompting and then Peeta followed Finnick into the kitchen.

Annie reached out and stroked her fingers over Finnick's cheek. He closed his eyes and let out a satisfied breath. "Better?" Annie asked softly.

"Much." Finnick turned his head and kissed her palm. "We should hire Peeta to be our nanny. He's the only one who was ever able to get our babies to calm down."

Peeta chuckled as he sat with Nell on a nearby barstool. "I've already got a job. But thanks." He leaned over and kissed Nell's forehead. "You doing okay now, Nellie? Yeah?" He smiled down at her and thought about when Callie was so small.

Peeta held Callie all the time in her first weeks of life. Alex had to tell him to put Cal down so she could sleep, but then he'd stand over her crib just watching her chest rise and fall.

Nell finished the bottle and her eyes drifted closed. Peeta lifted her to his shoulder to gently pat her back. She let out a belch, followed by warmth down his back.

Finnick laughed. "Should have warned you about that one. It's been pretty bad the last few days."

Annie took the baby and cleaned her up. "Finnick, let Peeta borrow one of your shirts. We'll throw yours in the wash, Peeta."

"Thanks, Annie." Peeta followed Finnick up to the master bedroom.

"Annie made me finish up all the laundry this morning, so you're in luck." Finnick said as he rummaged through a drawer.

Peeta slowly peeled off his shirt and took the one Finnick offered. "Thanks, man."

"No prob, Bob." Finnick watched him a moment and then asked, "You okay?"

Peeta pulled the new shirt on and shrugged. "I'm managing."

Finnick draped an arm over Peeta's shoulder and guided him out of the room. "You're always surrounded by people who care about you. Just remember that."

Peeta nodded. "Thanks." He paused a moment to look in on the kids as they laughed in Maggie and Pearl's bedroom. "I just want to be a good dad to her."

"You are." Finnick said. "You're doing a very good job."

"Thanks." Peeta felt his heart constrict.

"No problem." Finnick led him down the stairs.

The front door opened and Johanna walked in. "The party's here, bitches!"

"Jo-Jo!" Finnick exclaimed and picked up his sister. He swung her around in a circle and noisily kissed her cheek. He looked at her hair, spiked all over. "You definitely need to stop one-upping me on the hair."

Johanna reached up and smoothed her hand over Finnick's hair. "Yours is looking really clean for being a father of four. Speaking of, where's my Nellie?"

Cressida, Castor, and Pollux walked into the house loaded down with boxes and bags. Cressida called, "That's fine, babe, we have everything."

Johanna paused and looked over her shoulder. "You know I can't lift heavy things."

Cressida gave her a smirk. "Then you need to explain last night."

Finnick laughed. "I'm required to tell you there are children present, so you shouldn't talk like that."

"Thank you." Annie called from the kitchen. "Someone come get Nell so I can finish the potatoes."

They all converged in the kitchen. Johanna grabbed up Nell and scurried off into the other room followed by Castor and Finnick.

Peeta started going over the ingredients for dressing that he'd brought over and went to work on the side dish.

Pollux and Cressida turned to each other and started signing rapidly. Peeta noticed that Cressida had a bit of a disgruntled scowl and Pollux was calmly pleading.

Annie said, "Cress, did you bring the pie?"

Cressida continued to sign as she spoke. "Yes. Spent all night trying to get it right. I burned the first one."

Pollux signed with a smile and Cressida laughed.

"He said it was still good burnt." Cressida translated. She raised her hands again. "But I had good help in the kitchen, so it was fine in the end."

Pollux smiled and placed his fingers against his chin and moved it forward.

Cressida repeated the sign and then moved toward the stove. "How can I help?"

Annie looked around the room and pointed as she made the list. "Peeta's getting stuff ready for the dressing, turkey's in the oven, and I'm finishing with cutting up these potatoes. Cinna and Mags are bringing cranberry sauce and crescent rolls. You brought pie and other desserts. I think we're good for now. You can help with potatoes."

Cressida signed for Pollux and he signed back. Peeta was fascinated by the swift movement of hands. They weren't soulmates, but the circumstances of Pollux's brother being connected to Cressida's wife thrust them together and must have made them just as close.

Peeta continued to work on the dressing as he listened to the voices filling the house. This was his favorite time of year, but it was the first time he felt the full impact of Alex being gone. He tried to push it away, but all his pain and guilt suddenly came to a head. It boiled over when Finnick walked into the room and wrapped Annie in a quick hug.

"Please excuse me." He hurried out the back door and walked several feet away until he reached the fence that sectioned off the property. Bending over, he rested his hands on his knees and breathed deeply until the pain subsided.

He turned to see Annie waiting patiently a few feet away. "If it's too much, you can go. We can keep Callie for a while if you need to be alone."

"I just…" His chest constricted and he rubbed it. "It's all my fault, Annie."

"No, Peeta." She moved forward and gently grabbed his face. "This wasn't something you could have changed."

"It was. I should have done something different. I should have been paying attention—"

"Stop." She pulled him close. "You couldn't have done it any differently. The other driver was drunk. You were paying attention."

Peeta clung to Annie as the tears finally started to flow. "I can't do it, Annie. I can't." He let go and hurried out of the side gate and got into his car. He started driving not knowing where he was heading until he pulled into the cemetery. He rested his head on the steering wheel and sobbed heavily for a long time.

He eventually got out of the car and stumbled to the place he hadn't visited in so many months. He told himself it was because she wasn't there. Why would he go? He could achieve the same comfort by looking at her picture. Which wasn't much comfort at all in the end.

Peeta's knees buckled as soon as he saw her name. "Alexandrea Mellark: Beloved daughter, wife, and mother."

How long he kneeled there in front of the stone, he didn't know. The sun dropped lower in the sky and he barely registered the sound of his phone going off in his pocket. He sat back and took it out to discover several missed calls and texts from Annie and Finnick. There were some from his father and Cara. Then one from Katniss Hawthorne.

He opened Katniss's first. It read, **I feel really heavy today. Are you okay?**

Was that part of the bond? That you could feel the emotions of your soulmate? That wasn't something he'd ever heard of. Maybe if the feelings were extra strong?

He typed out a response. **I'm fine.** He didn't feel comfortable saying anything else.

The messages from the others were all worried, asking where he was, if he was okay. He called Annie.

"Callie is so worried, Peeta." Annie said. "We all are."

"I know." Peeta felt his throat constricting and he could hear Callie crying loudly in the background.

"Want me to come get you?" Annie offered.

"I drove myself." He said lamely.

"Could you drive yourself now?" She asked softly.

He thought a minute. "I don't know. Annie, I'm…"

"Where are you? Finnick and I are coming."

He could hear Callie's wail in the background and she begged, "No, Finnick, don't go."

Annie said, "Then Cressida and I are coming. Where are you?"

"Visiting Alex." He reached out and traced her name.

"Okay. Stay put." He held the phone to his ear until he heard the sound of the call disconnecting.

Peeta sat there, tracing and retracing the letters on the stone, until Annie dropped down beside him. She wrapped her arm around his waist and whispered, "She knew she was going to marry you the first time she saw you."

He looked over. "Did she?"

Annie nodded and sat up on her knees to lean closer to the headstone. "I think if she knew about Katniss, she'd be excited for you. She was always so curious about soulmates. She asked me all sorts of questions after Finnick and I realized it."

"I don't want to talk about Katniss while I'm sitting here. Tell me how she knew we were going to be married."

"You had first period together in ninth grade. Do you remember? We all did." Annie sat back and pulled her coat closer around her shoulders. "I don't remember the day, but one time after class she pulled me into the bathroom and said, 'I'm going to marry that Peeta Mellark someday.'"

Peeta let out a chuckle. "I didn't much notice her until the next year."

"That's because I gave her tips." Annie said with a laugh. "Do you remember at the beginning of sophomore year when you got your class schedule and we compared our classes?"

"Yeah?" He gave her a suspicious look.

"That was Alex's schedule. She changed all the ones I marked so you could have classes together." She smiled. "She loved you so much, Peeta. She really did. And she loved Callie. Being your wife and Callie's mom were her two biggest accomplishments. She loved every day with you, even the bad ones."

"How do you know, Annie?" Peeta felt the tears coming back and he wiped angrily at them.

"Because she told me." Annie reached forward and gently took hold of his face, stroking away the moisture with her thumbs. "You never really took the time to grieve for her. So if you need it, you take it. We all understand. But you at least need to let your daughter know what's going on."

He nodded. "Where's Cressida?"

"She took her car back." She held out her hand. "Give me your keys."

He handed them over and followed her toward his car. The tears streamed down his face the whole ride. Annie kept her hand on his leg the entire time and he welcomed the comforting touch.

As soon as he walked into the house, Callie threw herself into his arms. "Daddy, I was scared."

"I know, baby." He pressed his nose into her hair. "I know. I'm so sorry."

She clung to him. "Please don't leave again."

"I won't, baby. I'm really sorry." He held her close as he walked into the kitchen.

Annie said, "The turkey is almost done."

Peeta nodded, his eyes still pressed into Callie's hair and her little arms wrapped around his neck. She still whimpered softly, but she was finally calming a little. There was still a fog around him as they sat down to dinner.

Mags raised her glass and called everyone's attention. "I think it's time to go around to say all we're thankful for. And I would like to start by saying I am thankful for each and every one of you in my life. And that I'm here."

Cinna spoke up next, reaching across the table to the older woman. "I'm thankful for another Thanksgiving with you, Mags." He sat back. "With all of you."

"I'm thankful for my Daddy." Callie said from her seat, pressed into Peeta's side.

"And I'm thankful for you, Cal." Peeta kissed the top of his daughter's head.

Everyone else said similar things. Peeta watched Mags for a while. She'd been through a few rounds of chemo, but she was in remission the last he knew. Could her words mean the cancer was back? They didn't say. And Mags wasn't one to bring that up at this sort of gathering.

Peeta picked at his food and stroked Callie's hair. He wondered, as he watched the three soulmate pairs, if being near Katniss would help him. But he knew that it was mostly as Annie said and he needed to take his time to grieve that was taken from him when he was recovering from his injuries.

As the pie was brought out, Callie climbed onto Peeta's lap. "Can we go home, Daddy?"

"Yeah, I think that's a good idea." He stood with her and made apologies as they gathered their coats by the front door.

Annie followed. She gently scratched Callie's back. "If you need to talk, just call. Any time day or night."

"Can I call you?" Callie asked.

Annie smiled and kissed her cheek. "Sure you can."

Peeta wrapped his free arm around Annie's shoulders. "Thank you."

"Any time." Annie whispered. "I love you guys." She stepped back.

"I love you, Annie." Callie said sweetly.

Peeta nodded. "Love you." He carried Callie out to the car.

When he got home, he softly explained to Conrad and Cara what happened. Cara nodded knowingly and gently coaxed Callie onto her lap.

"You should take some time for yourself more often." Cara said, combing his fingers through Callie's hair. "After your recovery, your whole life has been consumed with the shop and taking care of Callie. You don't have to do it all alone. It's part of the reason we wanted you here with us."

Conrad nodded. "Even though your brothers grumble about how many Saturdays you take off, they understand why you need that time."

Peeta nodded. He leaned over and kissed the top of Callie's head and then Cara's temple. He stood and gave his father a hug. "I do need some time." He started towards the stairs and Callie called after him.

"It's okay, Callie." Cara said. "How about you help me make some cookies?"

"I don't want cookies, I want Daddy." Callie wailed.

Peeta turned and gathered her close. "It's been a long day. How about we go to bed a bit early?" He walked upstairs with her curled close and she didn't let him go until she fell asleep.


	9. Chapter 9

_Author's note:_ _Goodness, it's been forever. Sorry about that! I'm happy to say that I finished National Novel Writing Month with a win! And now I'm going to focus again on fanfiction after a quasi-break._

 _This chapter has some big events! Are you ready? I cannot wait to hear what you have to say about it. Come visit me on Tumblr! I'm HPfanonezillion over there, too! (booksrockmyface is still active, but this is for fanfiction only.)_

 _Many thanks to my beta Everlylark for all the great notes and help with this chapter and the whole story. More chapters coming your way very soon, my dear!_

 _Happy reading!_

Chapter Nine

Katniss always felt stressed when she was in the crowded Hawthorne house. Until the girls came along, she stuck to Gale's side like glue. Now, she still spent most of her time beside him, but she also spent plenty of time observing the growing number of children as they played.

Vick and his wife had married just out of high school, almost like the rest of the married clan. They had a set of three-year-old twin boys and another of girls that were just shy of a year old.

Posy, just fresh out of high school, had just had a baby boy a few months before. She and her boyfriend broke up not long after and he was out of the picture. But Posy was managing college life just fine with the baby. He spent a lot of time in the main office, but some of Posy's professors were okay with her bringing him to class, especially the evening classes.

Katniss was nervous every time someone offered to let her hold a baby, but Jensen was different. There was something about him that begged for her to hold him as Posy offered her a turn. Jensen looked Katniss with wide, attentive eyes. His tiny mouth was open just a little and he looked like he was about to say something.

"I know, right?" Katniss said with a smile as she sat back into the corner of the couch. He cooed softly and then let out a huge yawn. "You can sleep in my arms. Aunt Katniss doesn't mind."

After another yawn, Jensen turned his head to her chest, stuck his thumb in his mouth, and promptly fell asleep.

Prim sat beside her with a chuckle. "Looks like you're stuck for a while."

Katniss grinned. "Not a bad place to be caught."

Prim chewed her lip a moment and then leaned close. "This family's going to grow by one."

It took a moment for Katniss to process her sister's statement, but when she did she let out a surprised sound. "Really? When?"

"Early June." Prim grinned. She looked over to Rory and saw that he had a proud smile on his face as he talked with his siblings. His brothers patted his back and Posy gave him a warm hug.

"Did you already tell our in-laws?" Katniss asked.

Prim nodded. "As soon as we found out." She chewed her lip again. "Do you think Mom and Dad would be excited?"

"I'm sure they would be." Katniss pulled her close. "Congratulations, Little Duck." She kissed Prim's temple. "I'd offer you my maternity clothes, but Jessica got them and I think she gave everything to Posy. So talk to her."

"Speaking of talking." Prim reached out and gently lifted Jensen out of Katniss's arms. "Go be social for once. I'll put this little guy in his crib."

Katniss heaved a sigh and pushed herself up from the couch. She stepped toward the cluster of Hawthorne siblings and wrapped her arm around Gale's waist. He returned her embrace and kissed her temple. Katniss looked up at Rory. "Congrats. Prim just told me."

Rory beamed again. "Thanks. We're trying to keep it a little low-key."

"Won't be for long. These people can't keep a secret to save their lives." Katniss patted Gale's chest, leaving her hand resting there for a moment as she listened to the siblings complain to her comment.

When Madge came in the house a moment later, all of the kids flocked to her.

Katniss noticed that Madge and Gale locked eyes as soon as she came further into the room. After several seconds, Gale looked away. There was something odd in it that she never noticed before. It was like Gale had to force his gaze to go elsewhere. Was it always like that between them?

Katniss laid her hand on Posy's arm to get her attention. "Prim put Jensen to bed."

Posy looked relieved. "Good. He barely slept last night. And I was up late trying to finish a paper that was due by midnight. We're both exhausted, but I couldn't get him to relax."

"Probably too tired." Gale said. "Becca's always been like that."

Katniss nodded. "There was one week Gale and I got maybe two hours of sleep a night total. We just took turns trying to sooth her while the other one dozed. I don't know how we made it."

Gale chuckled. "Good luck, Rory. I think it's a Hawthorne trait."

Rory blanched. "I don't know if I'm ready for that."

Madge stepped over. "You guys always cluster up. Even though you see each other every single day."

"Got to catch up on the family gossip." Gale said with a grin. Was there an extra gleam in his eye as he looked at her?

Everyone passed out hugs with the new arrival. Was it just Katniss seeing things when she saw Madge's hand touch the back of Gale's neck? And what was that look that passed between them as she backed away?

It was gone almost as soon as Katniss noticed it. Madge was all smiles as she hugged Katniss. "I love your hair today." Madge said.

"Thanks." Katniss said as she smoothed her hand over her wavy tresses. She'd really not done much to it except braid it when it was wet before she went to sleep. When she woke up and brushed it out, it had naturally fallen in waves around her shoulders. Gale suggested she keep it down for the day and, since she rarely did, she agreed.

Conversation moved on and the groups dispersed around the room. Katniss sat beside Vick's wife Jessica for a while. Having two sets of twins under five caused the other woman to have a permanent harried look about her.

Katniss chuckled and patted her leg. "Isn't it supposed to be easier when there's more than three?"

Jessica rolled her eyes and took a sip of coffee.

Prim sat down across from them and started talking about baby stuff.

Katniss tried to pay attention, but she noticed Madge and Gale exchanging looks from across the room before they both left in opposite directions. What was that about?

All the sudden, the heavy feeling she'd been having all week became more pressing. The spot in the center of her chest where she felt the rope pull every time she was near Peeta felt like it was a weight pushing her down. She'd tried talking to him a few times to ask if he was okay, but he always told her he was fine.

Katniss excused herself and went to the bathroom. She took out her phone and typed, **I don't think you're fine. Please don't tell me that this time. Tell me what I can do to help.** She sent the message and stepped out of the bathroom.

Down the hall, she saw them together. Madge had a pleading look on her face and Gale's was almost defeated.

"Don't do this here Madge." Gale said softly. "Just go home. Make up an excuse."

"How can you stand it, Gale?" Madge asked. "For the line to just snap like that all the time? Doesn't it hurt you? Because it sure as hell hurts me." She stepped back.

Katniss's phone went off and both of them turned their guilty gazes toward the sound. Madge looked back up at Gale and then wandered off without another word.

"Hey, Catnip." Gale said, walking over. "Everything okay?"

"I could ask the same of you." Katniss leaned back against the wall. "I know I asked you before, but are you and Madge—"

"We're not having an affair." He snapped.

She reached out and touched his arm. "You know I already told you I'd understand."

"No, Katniss." He said softly. "That wouldn't be okay."

She opened her mouth to say more, but Gale stopped her with a kiss. He buried his fingers in her hair as he deepened it. It was almost desperate. Katniss clutched at his shirt. It was bad she was thinking about Peeta.

Her eyes popped open. _Peeta._ Her mind whispered something to her that she couldn't quite catch because of Gale's lips pressed so hotly against hers.

He eventually broke the kiss and whispered against her lips. "I love you, Katniss." There was that desperation again.

"I love you too." She whispered back, pressing close for one more brush of her lips against his. Why did it feel like she was trying to convince herself?

They walked together into the chaos of a Hawthorne gathering. Hazelle called that it was almost time to eat.

Katniss and Gale stuck close for the rest of the afternoon, his hand slipped into hers. What was that look on Madge's face?

* * *

Katniss walked toward the kitchen with the last of the dishes and paused. She heard hushed voices on the other side of the door. One she recognized well: Gale.

He said, "You can't keep doing it, Madge."

"What am I supposed to do? Act like you have the plague or something?" The other person, Madge, snapped.

"What's the holdup, Katniss?" Prim said loudly from behind Katniss.

Before Katniss could respond, Madge rushed out of the kitchen past them, calling out, "I'll see you guys later."

Katniss watched her go in confusion. What the hell was going on with Gale and Madge? She felt like she should know. If felt familiar somehow…

Gale stepped out and cupped Katniss's cheek. He leaned down and whispered, "I love you, Catnip."

She didn't have a chance to respond because he kissed her. He'd been doing that a lot more lately. But maybe that was because of how forward she was with her affections compared to the past. She really couldn't help that because she dreamed about being Aida every night. The affair with Radames was intense and it only left her feeling raw and hungry for more in her waking hours.

He walked away, trailing his fingers down her arm as he went.

She washed up the last of the dishes, thinking about the exchange she's overheard. What had that been about?

Then she remembered how Madge had innocently patted Gale's hand earlier in the day and he'd pulled away like he had been electrocuted.

Fortunately, with Madge's quick exit, Katniss didn't have to watch their odd interactions for the rest of the long evening. A part of her understood, but she couldn't quite figure out what it all meant. She knew she should, but there was too much going on around her to process it.

Becca curled up on Katniss's lap, something that was rare since Becca was her Daddy's girl. She yawned big and mumbled about how tired she was. Katniss looked across the room and saw that Gale had his two nieces on his lap. No wonder Becca had come over. Jealousy and exhaustion were big motivators.

Katniss and Gale locked eyes and then Katniss looked down at Becca, now asleep and snoring softly. When she looked back up at Gale, he nodded.

"Sam, give hugs and load up in the car." Gale said, placing Riley and Jessie on the floor.

Katniss attempted to stand, but Gale stopped her, scooping Becca up in one arm and then reaching out his free hand to help Katniss up.

* * *

Becca stirred a little as Katniss dressed her for bed, but she was so exhausted from playing with her cousins that she stayed out. Sam stumbled to her room and collapsed across her mattress. Gale removed her shoes and socks, rolled her under the blanket, and made his way to the room he shared with Katniss.

She'd followed his movements from the doorway to Becca's room. He looked so normal. Like he always did. But she knew it wasn't the same anymore. She just hadn't been able to pinpoint the differences because it had happened so gradually.

Stepping into their room, she closed the door and leaned against it. Gale smiled and pulled the blanket down.

"You and Madge are soulmates." Katniss said. There was no need to sugar coat it or ease into the conversation.

The look on Gale's face was resigned. "Yeah." He admitted softly.

She stepped toward the dresser and took out one if Gale's old shirts she'd long ago took over to sleep in. Holding it in her hands, she felt so many emotions. And not all bad. She changed, feeling his eyes on her the entire time. She said nothing else as she climbed into the bed, but she did wrap her arms around him.

"You're not mad?" He asked.

"I love you." She said softly. She felt a tightening in her throat. This wasn't something she was in any mood or position to discuss, but she knew she had to. "Prim said she wanted to take the girls shopping tomorrow and I told her that you and I would talk about it. I think with them gone and us not working it would be the perfect time to discuss this. I'm too tired to get into anything deep tonight. Just know that I love you. And I'm not mad." She kissed his cheek and rolled away.

"I want to talk." Gale said softly.

Katniss considered it for a long time before she got out of bed to lock the door. "How long have you known?" She asked as she got back into the bed. "She's worked with us for a while, so when did it happen?" She tried very hard to keep the accusation out of her voice, but she knew it was still there.

Gale took a deep breath and sat against the headboard. "Do you remember that party at my parents' house right before we found out about Becca? Sam was still pretty small and she was all over Rory."

"I think I remember." She said slowly.

Gale swallowed. "Madge was walking past me. She tripped. I caught her." He looked away and she could hear a thick quality to his voice. "My arm tingled."

Katniss reached out and touched his shoulder. "That's more than five years."

He nodded. "I'm sorry." His eyes were still down.

"I'm really not mad. Just..." She let out a long breath. "I don't know how we could have changed it."

He dragged his eyes up to hers. "I should have told you. I had so many chances, but I was scared."

She reached up and touched his cheek, resting her head against his. "It's okay." She whispered. She felt his tears falling down his face and she allowed her own to fall.

"I really am sorry, Katniss." Gale said, pulling away. "I should have figured out a way to tell you sooner."

"It's fine." Katniss said slowly. "I've been keeping something from you too. Not nearly as long, but..." She took in a deep breath. "You know Becca's friend Callie?"

Gale nodded.

"Her dad Peeta… He's my soulmate." It was such a relief to finally get it all out.

The impact of her words must have pulled something inside him and he tugged her hard against his chest. "I should have known." He whispered, relief filled his voice.

"Tell me." Katniss said softly. "Tell me about your past life."

Gale smiled and pulled her close to his side. "World War II. She was a nurse who helped me heal. We led a long, happy life. You?"

She could feel her face flushing. "Ancient Egypt. I was a slave and he was an explorer, I think. Someone important, anyway. I'm still trying to piece it together. He was engaged to someone else. But we had a very heated affair."

He looked down at her. "Is that why you've been so hot for me lately?"

She bit her lip and nodded.

His face fell. "I guess it's more hot for him, isn't it?"

Katniss shrugged.

Gale kissed her cheek before he got out of bed. "I'll sleep in the guest room tonight. We can talk more tomorrow."

She nodded. "Good night."

"Good night." He paused at the door. "We're going to stick together through this, right?"

"Yeah." She said. "Of course. We have our daughters and we work together. Whatever we decide, it will all be done as one. The best choices for us and our kids."

Gale nodded and left the room.

Katniss curled up and tried to sleep, but it didn't come easily. But when it did, everything suddenly made sense.


	10. Chapter 10

_Author's note: I am so sorry it took so long! I promise it won't be this long again. At least not for the next couple chapters. I have the next one almost completed and ready to send off to my beta._

 _Speaking of, my beta is a lovely person and I want to send out a huge THANK YOU to Everlylark. You are so kind and supportive of this project and I appreciate it._

 _Thanks, also, to all you wonderful readers. It is great hearing all your views and speculations. And just so you know, sometimes you help me realize things I hadn't thought of for future chapters. That's the beauty of this platform. So thanks for that._

 _This chapter is a little short, but it has some important stuff in it. I can't wait to hear what y'all have to say!_

 _Happy reading!_

Chapter Ten

Callie leaned close to Peeta's hand as he piped the whipped cream in delicate dollops over the pumpkin pie she helped him make. Peeta loved any chance he got to be artistic for his family. So much of his work was for the public. But this had been a bit of a difficult experience for him, despite his daughter being at his elbow the whole time.

"It looks really pretty, Daddy." Callie said in wonder as Peeta sat back and put the piping bag down on the table.

"Thanks, baby." He leaned over and kissed her on the top of her head.

"Did Mama like your pumpkin pie?" She asked softly, climbing onto his lap.

He had to swallow around the lump in his throat as he held her close. "She sure did, Cal." It had been such a long few days since his breakdown at Finnick and Annie's. Callie had stuck to him like glue. "We made the pumpkin pie together every year. Don't you remember? You helped us once."

Her eyes grew wide as the memory came back. "You always made the crust and Mama made the filling."

He tweaked her nose. "You have a good memory. Mama said the crust she made always fell apart."

"Well, you're the baker, Daddy." She said matter-of-factly.

He chuckled. "Your mama was a good baker, too. But she didn't think so. And she liked doing other things more."

"Like what?" Her voice was high and curious as she looked up critically.

"Like taking care of you." He kissed her temple.

She leaned her head against his chest with a sigh. "Daddy, I love you."

"And I love you, Cal-Pal." He kissed the top of her head and then put her back on the other stool so he could finish his work.

She grinned and asked suddenly, "How much do you love me, Daddy?"

Peeta smiled and set aside the piping bag. Holding his arms straight in front of him he said, "This much."

Callie mirrored his movement. "This much?"

He parted his arms slightly. "This much."

She mimicked him again. "This much."

He laughed softly and held his arms out to the side. "This much."

With a giddy laugh, Callie threw herself into her father's arms. "I love you that much too." She whispered.

Peeta picked her up with one arm and slid the pie off the counter with his free hand. "Let's see how well we do walking to the house like this."

"You can put me down, Daddy." She said.

"But I don't want to." He responded, his nose pressed into her hair.

Peeta continued out of the building, meeting his father along the way. "That turkey smelled like it was almost done, Dad."

Conrad stopped. "Good. Will you come back and help me get the rest?"

Peeta nodded and sat Callie on the ground. "Be careful with that." He said as he handed over the pie.

"You bet, Dad!" He watched as she made her way slowly the last few yards to the door. It opened and Cara stepped aside to let her in.

Peeta turned and followed his dad back into the bakery.

Conrad pulled the rolls out of one oven and reached into the next one to take out the turkey. "There are some good perks to owning a bakery." He grinned as he sat the bird on the counter. "Cara and Delly almost have all the sides done."

"Good." Peeta reached for the pan of rolls and stopped. He swallowed hard as he looked into his father's kind face. "Dad, I want to thank you. I don't think I ever really have. Cal and I wouldn't have made it without you and Cara opening up your home to us."

Conrad sat the turkey on the counter and pulled Peeta into a tight hug. "I know it's been hard, son. I've seen the struggle every day. But you and Callie are striving." He stepped back, hands still on Peeta's shoulders. "Cara and I were going to tell you later, but we've been putting away the money you've given us for utilities so you can have money for deposits and stuff when you decide to move out." He smiled and put up a staying hand. "Not that we want you to go any time soon, but whenever you're ready." He patted Peeta on the cheek. "I love you, Peanut."

Peeta grinned at the old nickname. He hadn't heard it in years. "I love you, Dad."

"All right, enough with the sappy talk. Let's get over there before your brothers eat all the mashed potatoes."

Peeta followed his father. He tried to keep an upbeat attitude all day, but seeing the way Delly and Ryan were all over each other didn't help. Graham and his new girlfriend weren't any better. She even sat on his lap and fed him bites of her pumpkin pie.

Callie ran around with her cousins. Seeing the joy on her face should have been enough to make him feel better, but it only made it worse. He and Alex had just decided to have another baby when the accident took her away. Would his daughter ever know what it was like to have siblings?

Peeta hurried up to his room and closed the door. He heard his phone go off and he pulled it out to see a message from Katniss. **I don't think you're fine. Please don't tell me that this time. Tell me what I can do to help.**

He put his face in his hands and sunk down to the floor. _Nothing, Katniss,_ he thought, _There's nothing you can do._

* * *

Peeta managed to put on a better face for the rest of the evening. The next day was business as usual for the bakery, so everyone made their way home not long after the sun went down. Peeta got Callie to sleep, in her own room for once, and then settled into his bed.

 _The dream was familiar. There was Aida, beautiful dark skin glistening in the fire as he looked down over her. A smile played on her lips before she reached up and pulled his mouth to hers. His hand trailed over the length of her body and pulled at the fabric that covered her legs._

 _Before it got too heated, the scene shifted. They stood before the pharaoh, shackled. Radames had helped Aida's father escape back to Nubia. They were both being tried for treason._

 _Pharaoh opened his mouth to make the pronouncement, but Princess Amneris stepped forward._

 _"_ _Father, please, will you let me make a request for them?" Amneris asked._

 _Pharaoh inclined his head, "What is it?"_

 _Radames saw her confidence waver slightly. But she forged on._

 _"_ _Let them be executed together." Amneris said. "Let this death be merciful."_

 _Radames looked to Aida, her head raised confidently. He heard the exchange between the pharaoh and his daughter, but didn't listen until Pharaoh raised his voice and declared, "They shall be entombed together."_

 _They were placed in the tomb and it was sealed. Radames and Aida clung to each other in the dark as the air grew thick._

Peeta woke up gasping for breath. His phone was buzzing.

Katniss's frantic voice was on the other end. "I'm sorry. I didn't know what else to do."

"It's fine." He whispered, glancing at his clock to see it was half past three. He'd have to be awake soon anyway. "Did you have that dream too?"

"Buried alive." She paused. "What a horrible world we lived in then."

He worked to slow his breathing and heartbeat. "At least they showed us some mercy."

"Some. Not much." She sighed. "I'm sorry. I'll let you go."

He hesitated before saying, "Can we just talk for another minute?"

"Yeah, that's fine." Katniss paused again. "I told Gale. He has a soulmate too. Someone we know."

"Has he known long?" Peeta reclined on his bed and rubbed the aching spot in the middle of his chest.

"Five years." Her voice was small. "He kept it from me all that time. I said I wasn't mad, but I am a little."

"It's understandable. This is something big." When she didn't respond, he continued. "It's been a rough few days for me. Whatever feeling you've been having was probably because of that."

"I'm sorry to hear that." She said softly. "Is there something I can do?"

"Just take care of yourself." He whispered. "I don't want you to worry about me. Whatever's going on with you and Gale, you take care of that."

Katniss took a deep breath and said, "I think we're going to divorce."

"Oh." Peeta felt his heart sink for her. When he'd seen them together they seemed so loving. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It's for the best, really." Her voice was still sad.

"I hope so. You have my support. Whatever you need."

"Thanks." She gasped. "Oh, it's almost four. I'm so sorry."

"Time for me to get up anyway." He sat up and switched off his alarm. He could already hear his dad moving around in the other end of the house. "Can I text you later?"

"I'd like that." Her voice sounded far away.

"Sleep well, Katniss."

"Have a good day at work, Peeta."

The line disconnected and Peeta put his phone back on the bedside table, stretching before he got out of bed and gathered his clothes.


	11. Chapter 11

_Author's note: Due to some things going on in her personal life, everlylark has stepped down from betaing this story. I appreciate all the help getting this story off the ground and for the notes on the first ten chapters. It will forever bear her mark._

 _Thankfully, JavisTG has stepped in to beta the last half of this tale. Go look over her stuff when you get the chance._

 _Thanks for your patience. I've done some tweaking to the first chapters of this story that were bugging me (just a few fixes concerning the soulmate touch that I flt needed to be clarified and altered). I'll get them fixed eventually, nothing else has changed in them, so it's not pressing._

 _Happy reading!_

Chapter Eleven

Katniss rolled over and stared at the empty spot in the bed. After ten years of sharing, she hated being alone. He could have stayed. She could have asked him to. But maybe it was best if they started getting space from each other.

She heard some shuffling downstairs in the kitchen and decided that checking on whoever it was would be easier than trying to get back to sleep.

Gale looked up from the coffee pot when Katniss stepped into the room. He offered up the cup he'd just made. "I was having trouble sleeping."

"Me too." She took the cup and got the creamer out of the fridge. "I am mad at you."

"I know. I'm mad at me, too." He poured his own cup of coffee.

"I wasn't much better than you, though, was I?" She sipped her coffee and then put the creamer away.

He shrugged. "A few months compared to five years."

"I know very well how hard starting the conversation is." She sighed. "I asked you if you were having an affair. That would have been the perfect time to talk about it."

"I know, Katniss. I'm an asshole. I get it. I screwed up."

"Stop." She shook her head. "It's done now. We can't fight about this. I don't want us to turn out like that, blaming each other." She brought her coffee to the table and looked up at him. "I called Peeta. Just now. I woke up from a really horrible dream."

He sat down. "I always text Madge when I wake up from our dreams."

"You're pretty stealthy about it." She looked down at her cup. "Maybe I'm just too oblivious."

"I'm not much better." Gale sat back. "Looking over your interactions with Peeta, I can see the signs now."

Katniss nodded. "Well, now we know."

They were silent for a while, each drinking their coffee. It wasn't one of their normal comfortable silences. There was so much unsaid between them. But where to start?

"What was it about?" He asked, breaking the silence.

She looked up slowly. "Hm?"

"Your dream." He clarified. "The one you just had."

She swallowed and sat forward. "I was buried alive. We both were. Together. That's what the darkness was all about." She sipped her coffee and let out a long breath. "I just told him you and I were probably getting a divorce."

"Are we?" Gale looked at her critically.

"I think we should." Katniss leveled the same look at him. "You and Madge… There's something more to your connection, I can see it."

Gale squeezed her hand and then let go. "I love you, Katniss." It was a simple statement of fact, no desperation like from earlier in the day. "Whatever is going on with Madge and me or with you and Peeta, I don't think it would help to rush into anything." He sipped his coffee. "I agree to a divorce. We are just friends sharing space and I don't want to deny that I feel something more for Madge than I ever felt for you."

"Gee, thanks." She gave him a sideways smile.

He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair as he sat back again. "That definitely didn't come out how I meant it."

She nodded. "I know. You've never really been attracted to me."

Leaning toward her once more, he shook his head adamantly. "I have. I _so_ have. But not in nearly the same way."

Katniss took another sip of her coffee. "You know you don't have to defend yourself. I wasn't jumping your bones every five minutes because I was attracted to you, it was because you were convenient and I was being selfish." She sat her cup down and traced the wobbly arrow that Sam had painted on it the previous summer at day camp. It was Katniss's favorite mug. Gale's too. They were always fighting over it.

"But I still love you." He said. "And I always will. You're a part of our daughters. That won't ever change."

"What do we even say to the girls? How do we explain this?" She looked up. "All they know is one day Mom and Dad were happy and everything is fine and today they don't want to be married anymore."

Gale put his hand on hers again. "Neither of us have ever been very good with words, have we?" He squeezed, but didn't remove his hand after he loosened it. "We just tell them the truth. That we love each other, but aren't meant to be married anymore. It's not like people have to be constantly fighting to not be right for each other."

She nodded and took another drink from her coffee.

"I want you to have the house." His voice was slightly muffled behind the rim of his cup just before he took a sip. "I'll move out."

"Your parents paid for the house." She argued. "You should have it. I'll find somewhere else."

"And where would you go?" He sat his cup down. "Prim and Rory live right next to Mom and Dad. Would that be any more comfortable? And what about the girls? Sam will be hurt the hardest with this. You know how sensitive she is."

"Must have gotten that form Prim." Katniss said, staring once more at the arrow on her cup.

Gale chuckled softly, "You hide your sensitivity well from everyone, but I've seen it quite a bit. Remember Prim's senior year? You were crying every five minutes about the last this or the last that."

Katniss wiped at a stray tear. "I was a pretty big mess with all of Sam and Becca's firsts, too."

"So was I, honestly." He squeezed her hand again. "This is for the best, Catnip."

She turned her hand over. "If I get to keep the house, you at least should stay in the guest room until we figure it all out. Otherwise, wherever you go there will be babies crying at all hours and you shouldn't have to deal with that."

He snorted and leaned down to kiss her knuckles. "It's a deal."

Sam stepped into the kitchen rubbing her eyes. "I need water." She mumbled as she got a glass and filled it at the fridge before shuffling off again.

Gale stood and filled his cup once more. "You want to get all the details worked out now or wait?"

"We don't have a whole lot of assets that I think need to be split. You have your car, I have mine. Your clothes, my clothes. Whenever you have a place, we can split up furniture as needed."

He leaned against the counter. "No, you can keep it all. I don't want you to have to just buy a partial set. You were the one that picked that one out anyway." He scratched the end of his nose. "You think we can work comfortably together?"

"I think so." She smiled. "We'll just have to break all our habits."

He mirrored her grin. "We've had sex at the office exactly once. That's not much of a habit."

Katniss laughed. "I was talking more about me coming to your studio to work."

Gale sat back down. "I see no reason why. Aren't we going to stay friends?"

She shrugged. "I want to."

"But?"

"I'm so tangled up in your family, Gale. Even Prim married into it. Are they going to expect me to go away?"

"No, of course not." He sat his cup down and grabbed both her hands. "They love you, Katniss. You were family from when we were kids. None of that will change. I'll make sure of it."

She squeezed his hands and rubbed her thumbs over his knuckles. "Thank you." She let go and finished off her coffee. "I don't want us to spend time with our soulmates alone until the divorce is final."

"I agree." He took his seat and eyed his cup. "I think we should extend it past the divorce too." He said softly. "None of us really know Peeta. I don't want you alone with him too soon."

Katniss smiled. "You're always going to worry about me, aren't you?"

Gale shrugged. "For our girls, and for me, I'll worry about you until the day I die."

She got up to refill her cup. "Do you remember that night when we were dating when I took you out into the forest and we watched the stars all night?"

"I remember." He smiled fondly. "I knew about four constellations." He snorted. "Hell, I don't even remember them now."

"Daddy taught me." She took her seat again. "That was one of my favorite dates."

"Mine too." He winked. "Didn't hurt that you let me touch your boobs."

A loud guffaw escaped her and she had to cover her mouth quickly. She got control of herself and dropped it. "Two days later I let you in my pants, so I guess it worked one way or another."

He watched her in wonder.

She felt self-conscious. "What?"

"I just thought of the first night after we brought Sam home." He said softly.

She chuckled. "Neither of us slept because we were so scared."

"Prim thought we were crazy." He laughed. "The joys of raising a teenager."

Katniss rested her head on her hand. "Are we ready for another?"

Gale shrugged. "Got a few more years yet. We'll figure it out by then I'm sure."

They reminisced for the rest of the night.

* * *

Prim knocked on the door a little after sunrise. When Katniss let her in, she took one look at her sister's face and said, "You probably don't want to talk about it, but I'm here to listen."

"You're right, I don't want to talk." Katniss called up to the girls, "Your aunt is here."

They came barreling down the stairs. They weren't passing up the chance to shop with Prim. After accepting hugs and kisses from their parents, Sam and Becca ran out the door arguing over who got to sit up front.

Prim squeezed Katniss's arm. "I can bring them to half a dozen stores and come back. Then you and I can go to lunch or something."

"You only come back if they are driving you nuts." Katniss said. "I didn't sleep last night, so I'll probably just try to catch up."

Prim kissed her cheek. "Call if you change your mind."

Katniss stood in the doorway and watched her go before she turned to Gale. "I'm too keyed up to sleep."

He nodded. "Let's make a list, then."

"Okay, let's do that." As she waited for him to get some paper from the guest room, she returned to the kitchen and made a fresh pot of coffee.

"I feel like a failure." He sighed as he came back and sat the pad of paper in the middle of the table.

"It's not a failure, Gale." She poured them each a cup of coffee. "I felt like it was expected. Friends, dating, lovers, married. I never thought there would be anything else." She shrugged. "Not that it mattered. I liked you then, loved you. I love you now."

He sniffed and wiped at his eyes. He so rarely cried. In fact, Katniss was sure the last time Gale shed a tear was when Becca was born. "I'm sorry, Katniss."

"Why?" She asked softly, standing and taking his arm when he didn't answer. "Gale?"

"We could have spared all this. I shouldn't have—"

"Shouldn't have what? Married me? Had babies with me?" She touched his cheek. "I loved our life. Every minute of it. It's nothing to apologize for."

He grabbed her hand. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about Madge sooner." He swallowed hard and let go. "I can't do this right now, after all. I'm going to try to sleep for a bit." He walked to the back of the house and closed the guest room door hard.

Katniss stared down the hallway for several moments before she went up the stairs to her room and threw herself across the bed.

Her phone buzzed and she picked it up to find a message from Prim. She opened it and was met with her sister and daughters' smiling faces with silly hats and sunglasses. The message read, _Are we gorgeous or what?_

Katniss smiled to herself and answered, _Beautiful!_

She rolled over and curled up as the death of her marriage suddenly started washing over her.

* * *

Madge rolled over and looked at her clock. She could have taken one more day off, but she'd promised to get the last Christmas push out before the end of November. They had quite a few orders pending, but the team had made several of the smaller standard items that were best-sellers ahead of time and Madge was crucial in getting the word out through all social media accounts.

Her phone rang as she was getting her computer set up.

She pressed it to her ear with just a glance at the screen. "Didn't expect you to be awake this early on a day off." She said in greeting.

"You know I always wake up early." She could tell by Gale's voice that it wasn't a normal morning.

"You finally told her."

He sighed. "I didn't have to. She figured it out. She's got a soulmate, too."

Madge didn't know how to respond to that at first. It was a relief to know it was out in the open. "Well, what happens now?"

"Divorce." Gale said.

"You sound upset." She commented as she signed into the Hawthorne Sporting Goods Facebook.

He scoffed. "Shouldn't I? Madge, I've known her all my life and we've been married for ten years. We have kids, for god's sake."

She let out a slow breath. Sure, he was hurting. She could grant him that. "Sorry." She said softly. "I just thought maybe you'd feel more relief, is all. I do."

There was a pause and then he whispered, "I've never felt more relief in anything."

"Want to come over? Hang out?" She chewed her lip as she waited for his answer.

"Can't. Katniss and I promised no alone time with soulmates until after the divorce is final."

Madge nodded, even though she knew he couldn't see. "I understand. This is going to be a big change for everyone."

"I'm worried mostly for Sam and Becca." He admitted.

"Well, you know I'm a big supporter of therapy." She clicked around on Facebook to add links to her post. "Helped me."

"I know." There was a pause and then Gale let out a sigh. "Katniss and I were up all night talking, I'm pretty tired."

"At least the girls are old enough take care of themselves if you and Katniss need to doze." Madge sat back in her chair and stretched.

"They're with Prim, so even better."

"Yeah." She rubbed her eyes. "You go get some sleep and I'll talk to you later."

"Okay. Have a good day, Madge."

"I will." She hesitated a moment and then blurted, "I love you, Gale."

She could almost hear his smile when he said, "It's good to know."

"Get some sleep. Tell Katniss I'm thinking about her, okay?" She felt her throat tighten as the call disconnected. She covered her face with her hands and let out a relieved sob. Now that it was all in the open she didn't have to talk on eggshells around them anymore. She could be herself. She could love Gale with a little less shame.


	12. Chapter 12

_Author's note: This chapter quite a bit longer than previous chapters. But it has some really great (awkward) interactions. There's also mention of constellations. If you know constellations and I mentioned some that wouldn't be in the sky over North America in December, please correct me._

 _Many thanks to my beta JavisTG. Go read her stuff!_

 _Happy reading!_

Chapter Twelve

Katniss followed Prim out to her car. Sam and Becca had excitedly talked about their morning and were now crowded around Gale on the couch showing him the arrow tips they'd found on sale.

"I need to tell you something." Katniss slipped into the passenger seat and waited for Prim to get in the other side.

"Okay, tell me then." Prim twisted in her seat.

Katniss stared out the window toward the house. "Gale and I… We decided to divorce."

Prim let out a gasp and gripped Katniss's hand. "Are you okay?"

"I will be." Katniss patted her hand. "We both have soulmates."

"No way." Prim's eyes were wide. "Who? Anyone I know?"

"Peeta Mellark. Callie's dad. You know Becca's bestie."

Prim's mouth opened and closed so many times Katniss thought she looked like a fish out of water.

Katniss took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "His is Madge Undersee."

"That asshole." Prim started for the door and Katniss pulled her back inside the car. "What?"

Katniss let go of her hand. "The girls don't know yet."

"Madge has been around for a while." Prim fumed "How long as he known? How long have _you_ known? You would have told me."

Katniss took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "He's known for about five years. I found out about Peeta when I met him a few months ago. I just found out about Madge yesterday." Tears sprang to her eyes. "How do I tell my girls?"

Prim let out a comforting sound pulled her close. "Come on, now. This will be okay. You're a tough person, Katniss." After a few soothing pats, Prim pulled back and asked, "Do you need somewhere to stay? We have an extra bed at our place."

Katniss wiped her eyes. "Thanks, but Gale's moved to the spare room until we work things out."

"If that's going to work for you." Prim nodded. "Just let me know if something changes. Rory and I won't mind. We can even have the girls for a bit."

Katniss nodded. "We appreciate it." She moved to get out of the car.

"I love you." Prim called after her.

"I love you too." Katniss called back.

Gale was in the kitchen with the girls eating an afternoon snack.

Katniss leaned in and whispered, "Let's rip off the Band-Aid."

He nodded and wiped his hands. "Girls, finish your snack and then come into the living room." He placed a hand on Katniss's lower back to guide her out of the room.

"I told Prim." Katniss said.

"I figured." Gale rubbed his hands together. "What happens next? After we tell the girls, I mean?"

"Tell us what?" Sam asked from behind them.

 _This is it._ "Okay, girls, have a seat." Katniss said, a tremor in her voice. "Daddy and I have something very important to tell you."

"Are you pregnant?" Sam asked, barely hiding her frustration at the though.

Gale laughed nervously. "No, thank goodness." He held out his hand to Katniss. "But things are about to change."

Katniss slid her hand into his. "We want you to know that we love you very much. And we love each other very much. But we decided that we don't want to be married anymore."

Sam burst into tears. "No."

"Baby, it's okay." Gale said as soothingly as possible. "It's for the best. Mama and I want each other happy and that can't happen with us married anymore."

"Did I do something wrong?" Sam asked.

"No, baby. You didn't cause this." Katniss held out her arm and Sam curled onto her lap. Katniss let go of Gale's hand and held her tightly. "I love you, Sam-Sam. I love you so much. None of this is your fault. Okay?"

"Okay." Sam mumbled into her mother's shoulder.

"Becca?" Gale said. "What are you thinking, baby?"

"Does this mean we'll have two houses? My friend Olivia's parents got not-married and now Olivia has two rooms and lots and lots of toys. She says her Mommy and Daddy buy her affection, but she doesn't know what that means, just that her grandma always talks about it."

Gale patted his knee and waited for Becca to climb on his lap. "For now, we're still going to live together. I'm moving into the guest room to sleep. I'll still be here for bedtime and breakfast. But I'll move out eventually. We're just not to that point yet." He kissed Becca's temple. "We're always going to be a family, but it'll be a different kind of family."

Katniss looked over Sam's head to Gale and Becca. She gave Sam a little squeeze. "How about we watch a movie?"

Sam shot up off her mother's lap. "No, I don't want to watch a movie. This is the worst day ever!" She ran up the stairs, slamming the door to her room.

Becca looked between her parents. "How do you get not-married?"

Gale smoothed his hand over Becca's hair. "We go to the courthouse and fill out some papers and a judge signs them."

Becca nodded thoughtfully. Then she glanced at her mother. "Mama, are you sad?"

Katniss leaned over and kissed her temple. "I am. Because sometimes when things change, it's sad."

"Are you sad, Daddy?" Becca asked, turning her big grey eyes up to her father's face.

"I'm very sad, Becs." Gale continued to smooth his hand over her hair. "Like Mama said, things are changing. It's scary. But you and your sister are the most important thing to us. So we're going to do our best to make sure you feel safe and not sad."

"I'm not sad." Becca said. "You said you won't go anywhere. My friend Olivia is sad when she has to leave her mommy's to go to her daddy's. But I don't have to leave anywhere." She wrapped her little arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. "I love you, Daddy." She climbed off his lap and held out her arms to Katniss. "I love you, Mama."

Katniss gathered her up in a tight hug. "I love you, Becca."

Becca left the room leaving Katniss and Gale alone once more.

Gale stood. "I'll go talk to Sam. Unless you want to."

Katniss shrugged. "She's as stubborn as the rest of us. I doubt she'll even listen. But you should try." She looked at her hands. "We didn't tell them about the soulmates. That's probably going to be worse."

"It is." Gale rubbed his face.

She reached out and patted his hand. "I want to get Peeta and Madge here together. Lay out our boundaries."

He nodded. "That's probably a good idea."

She gave him a questioning look. "So what are they? Other than being alone?"

"I don't know. But I think that's the most important." Gale gave her a look that begged her to understand. "I don't want you to be with Peeta by yourself, without the girls or at least his daughter there. And I know you wouldn't feel comfortable for me to be alone with Madge."

"I wouldn't." She rubbed at a knot forming in her shoulders. "I think you're more nervous about Peeta than I ever will be about Madge."

"I don't know him well enough."

"He's been here, Gale." She fought hard to keep her voice from rising. "You've spent time with him."

"Not enough." He stood. "Katniss, I want us to do this right. More than anything, I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea. For our daughters' sake as much as our own."

"Okay. Then I don't ever want you behind a closed door with Madge. If you go to her office or she stops by your shop the door stays wide open." Katniss gave him a hard look. "Are we clear?"

"Crystal." Gale left the room.

Katniss stared after him. She could tell he wanted to fight and she felt it in herself. But it wouldn't help anything right now.

* * *

Peeta's phone rang as they were walking out of the bakery. He saw Katniss's name and stopped. "I'll be in in a bit, Dad." He answered the phone and walked around to the side of the bakery. "Hello?"

"Hi." Katniss said, letting the small word come out in a long sigh.

"Everything okay?"

"Getting there. We told Sam and Becca about the divorce. Sam isn't talking to us. Gale and I both tried."

"She'll be okay." Peeta assured her. "It's going to take a while, but she'll grow to understand."

"Maybe." Katniss sounded skeptical. "We haven't told them the soulmate news yet. Didn't think it would help matters."

"Probably not."

She took a deep breath and the sound let him know she was ready to move on to something else. "Have you told Callie?"

"Not yet. But I did just tell my dad. He's cautiously supportive." Peeta chuckled.

"Good." Katniss paused. "So Gale and I want you to come to supper tomorrow. Madge will be there too."

"Madge? That Gale's soulmate?"

"Yeah. So you and Callie want to come?"

"I'd love to. And I'm sure Cal would enjoy spending time with Becca." It was his turn to pause. "You want to come meet my folks?"

She laughed. "I guess I should."

"Let me talk to them. I'd like to have you and the girls over here soon." After their farewells, Peeta hung up the phone and walked inside the house.

"Daddy!" Callie called and threw herself into his arms.

Peeta laughed and lifted her up, spinning her around. He kissed her cheek. "Oh, Callie, I love you." He kissed her again. "I need to tell you something, sweetie." They sat together on the couch. "You know how Finnick and Annie are soulmates? You remember us talking about that and what it means?"

Callie nodded.

"Well, Daddy found his soulmate." Peeta said slowly. "And we're going to start spending more time with her and her family to get to know them better."

Callie's brow furrowed as she thought about it. "Are you going to marry yours? Like Finnick and Annie did?"

Peeta shrugged. "I don't know. She's got a husband right now."

"What's her name?"

"Well, this one will definitely make you happy." He leaned in. "It's Becca's mama."

Her eyes widened. "Really?"

Peeta nodded. "And we're having supper over there tomorrow. Do you think you'd like that?"

Callie nodded and ran into the kitchen yelling, "Grandma, guess what?"

Peeta took out his phone and sent a text to Katniss. _Told Callie. She's excited._

Katniss responded just a moment later. _About to attempt to tell our girls. *fingers crossed*_

Peeta typed out his reply. _Good luck._ Then he wandered into the kitchen to see Callie sitting on her grandfather's lap jabbering on about the news.

Cara paused in her work and looked toward Peeta. "Is it true?"

Peeta nodded. "Yeah."

"Hm." Cara turned back to the stove.

"I really want you to meet her and her daughters." Peeta took a seat across from his father. "Cal and I are eating supper there tomorrow. Maybe they can come Sunday or Monday?"

Cara nodded. "I don't see why not."

"She's married." Conrad said.

Peeta gently lifted Callie off Conrad's lap. "Go to your room for a bit, Cal-pal."

"But I want to be here." Callie whined.

"Your room, Calliope." Peeta said.

Callie huffed and shuffled her feet out of the room.

Peeta sat back. "She _is_ married. But she's getting a divorce. Her husband has a soulmate, too."

"She leaving her husband for you?" Cara asked.

"Definitely not." Peeta looked to his father's conflicted face. "Whatever happens, we're not jumping into anything. We're friends now. That's it."

Conrad stood. "How much longer, babe?"

"About ten minutes." Cara said.

Conrad nodded. "I'm going to rest my eyes." He walked into the next room and stretched out on the couch.

Cara said softly, "Sometimes talk of divorce brings up a lot of painful memories."

"I know." Peeta looked toward the living room. "Brings a lot up for all of us."

Cara tapped the spoon on the side of the pot and stepped in front of Peeta. "I met my soulmate when I was ten, did I ever tell you?"

Peeta shook his head. "No, what happened?"

Cara sat down and rested her hand on top of Peeta's on the table. "She was my best friend and we did everything together. We were always sleeping over at each other's houses and sneaking out when we got a little older." She swallowed. "But we had a falling out, and our bond couldn't keep us together."

"Did you ever make up with her?" Peeta asked.

"I tried a time or two, but we were both alternately busy. Then she passed away from cancer." Cara swiped at her eye.

"I'm so sorry, Cara."

She waved her hand. "It was years ago. About the time I met your father." She smiled nostalgically. "We helped heal each other."

Peeta patted Cara's hand. "Thank you for telling me. I can't even imagine how that would be. Katniss and I seem to have a pretty strong bond. I don't know if it's normal or not."

"I haven't experienced a whole lot of soulmates in my years, but some do seem stronger than others." Cara got up and pressed a kiss to Peeta's forehead before returning to supper.

Peeta watched her a moment before he went up to get Callie ready to eat.

* * *

"I don't know, Gale." Madge said as she paced from one room to the other, the phone pressed firmly to her ear. "What are Sam and Becca going to think?"

Gale sighed on the other end. "I don't know, Madge. They're still processing everything. It's a lot."

"Did Sam ever come out of her room?" Madge sat on the edge of her mattress.

"Only long enough to get food." Gale went silent.

"Well, maybe she'll get used to the idea." She suggested.

"You're holding off from suggesting therapy." He said softly.

She snorted. "You know me too well, Gale."

There was silence on the phone for several breaths.

Madge finally broke it saying, "Just keep trying to talk to her. And I'll see you at supper tomorrow night."

"I'll see you then, Madge."

Gale hung up first. Madge looked at the phone for a minute before she moved to plug it into the charger. She didn't have the chance to tell him she loved him. Maybe it was okay that she didn't this time. Gale and Katniss were going through a lot and she didn't need to complicate things.

"I love you, Gale." She said as she looked toward her phone. Then she turned to her freezer and pulled out a TV dinner.

* * *

Katniss knocked on Sam's bedroom door for what seemed the millionth time. "Come on, baby. Madge and Peeta will be here soon and I want you to sit with us and talk."

"I'm not coming out." Sam yelled. "You and Daddy can do what you want with your life and I'll do what I want with mine."

"And you want to be locked in a small room for the rest of your life?" Katniss countered. "Just come out for food and a little bit of exercise?"

"And what would be wrong with that?" Sam shot back.

Katniss laughed. "Well, it sounds a lot like prison to me."

After a few more seconds, the door slowly opened. "Will it make you happy if I come out for supper?"

"It would." Katniss reached out and brushed her finger down Sam's cheek. "You look just like your dad."

"I'm prettier than Dad." Sam said with a smirk.

Katniss laughed. "You are." She leaned in and kissed her daughter's forehead. "Can I tell you a secret?"

Sam nodded.

Katniss pushed the door open a little more and asked, "Can I come in?"

Sam moved back and sat on her bed.

Katniss joined her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "My mom, your Grandma Everdeen, she had this sickness called depression."

"You've talked about it before." Sam said. "That she was sad a lot and stayed in bed sometimes."

Katniss nodded and combed her fingers through Sam's hair. "I was about your age and it hit her pretty hard for a long time. Several months. And I had to grow up real fast. I took care of Prim and myself because my dad was working." She swallowed. "I want you to know this because I don't ever want you to feel like that. If you ever feel like you're not being treated like a kid your age, I want you to tell us, okay? Your dad and I might get distracted with all that's going on." She gave Sam a squeeze. "But we will always try to put you and Becca before all of that. So talk to me, okay?"

"Is it okay that I'm mad?" Sam asked in a small voice.

"Of course it is." Katniss leaned her head against her daughter's. "It's perfectly fine to feel mad or sad about all this."

Sam looked up at her mother. "Do I have to talk if I go down there?"

"No. But we would appreciate it if you are kind to our guests. Madge and Peeta are going to be around a lot more. We want everyone comfortable."

"What if _I'm_ not comfortable?" Sam asked.

"You tell us and we'll figure out how to fix it." Katniss kissed her temple. "You only have to come down long enough for supper if that's all you want."

"Thanks, Mom."

Katniss stood. "Any time. I love you, Sam-Sam."

"Love you too, Mom." Sam said with a smile. The first since she'd come home the day before.

Becca called, "Callie's here!"

"I'll let you know when supper's ready." Katniss said as she stepped toward the door. "Unless you decide to come down sooner."

"We'll see." Sam said. "You can leave the door open, though." She picked up a book from beside her bed and opened it up.

Katniss walked to the landing and looked toward the door where Becca had thrown it open and was calling out to Callie. The line had returned. It felt like Katniss was reeling him in.

Callie hoped up the steps. The girls embraced and then ran to the back of the house.

"Get your coat, Becca." Gale called after them.

Becca ran back for her coat and then hurried out the back door dragging it behind her.

Gale walked over and held out his hand. "Hi there, Peeta."

"Hey, Gale. Good to see you." Peeta's smile gave just the hint of his dimples. He looked up as Katniss came down the stairs. "Katniss." He breathed.

Katniss held out her hand and Peeta took it, both of them letting out a sigh of relief as the charge rode up their arms.

"Madge is here." Gale said, stepping away from the awkward moment.

Katniss stepped back from Peeta. "Welcome to my home. Can I take your coat?"

"Uh, yeah." He handed her a box and then started to slip out of his coat. "I brought a pie. It's apple." He passed his coat to her.

"Thanks. Sam loves apple pie." She turned and looked up at the top of the stairs and called, "Peeta brought an apple pie. Still feels warm."

At a glance from Katniss, Peeta responded, "Yeah, just pulled it out of the oven before I came over."

Sam poked her head out of the door. "Can we have pie for supper?"

"Unfortunately, I put a lasagna in the oven nearly a half hour ago, so you're out of luck." Katniss grinned. "But pie for dessert if you eat the rest of your supper."

Sam huffed. "Fine." She made her way slowly down the stairs. "Hi, Peeta." She paused and looked out the open front door to see Gale and Madge holding hands outside.

They were standing close together, Gale in short sleeves and Madge bundled up in a coat. Their breaths came out in puffs in the chilly air.

Katniss called out, "You freeze to death and I get everything."

Gale looked over and grinned before pulling Madge toward the house. He leaned close to Katniss and murmured, "I'm planning on giving it all to you anyway." He shut the door and indicated Madge. "Peeta, I'd like you to meet Madge Undersee. Madge, this is Peeta Mellark."

Madge held out her hand. "Nice to meet you, Peeta." The two shook hands and she shed her coat, passing it to Katniss's outstretched hand. "Wait, Mellark? Like Mellark and Sons Bakery?"

Peeta nodded, a huge smile on his face. "Yep. I'm the youngest 'and Sons.'"

"He brought an apple pie." Sam said. Katniss was happy to see that the scowl was dropping from her face.

"Is that right?" Gale asked. "If those cookies you brought the last time were any indication, we're in for a treat."

"Oh, yeah." Madge said. "I go in the bakery once a week to pick up the croissants. They're so flaky. I eat off them all week."

"My brother Graham does those most of the time." Peeta said. "I usually do the sweets."

Katniss put the coats on a hook inside the closet door and then invited everyone into the kitchen. "The lasagna should be done by now."

Gale kissed the top of Sam's head. "Go tell Becca and Callie to come in and wash up."

"Yes, sir." She took a step and then turned back and wrapped her arms around him. "I love you, Dad." She hurried out of the house, calling for the girls to come inside.

Katniss pulled the pan out of the oven and noticing how her hands shook. She quickly sat it on the stovetop before anyone else saw. "Gale, will you get the salad out of the fridge?"

The girls came running in, shedding their coats on the way to the downstairs bathroom to wash their hands.

"Callie, is that where that goes?" Peeta asked her retreating form.

Callie stopped in her tracks and turned slowly. "That's what Becca did."

"Well, you're a guest here. Just because the host is doing it, doesn't always mean it's okay for you to." Peeta looked up nervously at everyone else.

"Rebecca?" Gale called.

"What?" Becca called from the other room.

Gale heaved a sigh. "Get your coat off the floor. You know better."

"Sorry, Daddy." Becca came back in the room drying her hands on the front of her shirt.

"There's a towel in there." Katniss commented as she took down the plates.

"It fell in the toilet." Becca picked up her coat and Callie's and brought them into the front room.

Katniss looked around the door frame to see her drop them by the front door. "At least they're not in the way." She said under her breath.

"What can I do?" Peeta asked.

"Just have a seat." Gale said as he sat the salad bowl in the middle of the table. "Katniss got everything else ready this afternoon. Nervous for some reason." He sent Katniss an encouraging smile.

"Yeah, I wonder why." Katniss chuckled and sat the lasagna on the table.

"So what do you do, Madge?" Peeta asked as he took a seat beside Callie.

"I'm Head of Social Media at Hawthorne Sporting Goods." She explained, sitting opposite him. "I'm in charge of the website and the Facebook page."

"Always taking pictures." Gale added. He finished sitting out the silverware and sat down beside Madge. He looked to Katniss for assurance before he got too comfortable.

Katniss gave him a small nod. "Help yourselves." She sat a pitcher of water in the middle of the table after filling the three girls' glasses and her own. The last seat available was between Gale and Sam as Becca had claimed the seat between Peeta and Madge.

Becca looked up at Peeta and asked, "Will you marry my mom soon so that Callie and me can be sisters?"

There were nervous laughs all around the table. Except for Sam who slammed her fist on the table.

"Mom and Dad are still married." Sam said through clenched teeth.

"I was just asking a question." Becca argued.

"A dumb one." Sam said, still glaring at her sister.

Katniss patted her hand. "It's okay, baby."

Sam jerked her hand away. "It's not! This is stupid." She got up and ran from the room.

Katniss moved to get up. "I'll be right back."

Gale placed his hand on Katniss's arm. "I'll try again."

There was an awkward silence as everyone finished filling their plates. Katniss put a little food on the plates to either side of her before filling her own.

"She said she wants to eat in her room." Gale sad as he came back in. He picked up her plate and glass and left again.

"I'm sorry." Peeta said, his brow creased in worry.

"It's not your fault." Katniss said.

Gale came back in and resumed his seat. "I thought you'd said something magical to her earlier."

Katniss shook her head. "I just told her about my mom. I thought it would help her a bit."

"Which part about your mom?" Gale asked as he poured ranch on his salad. "Because I doubt stories of depression are what she needs."

"I told her about what it did to me. I didn't put the rest on her." Katniss stabbed angrily at a leaf of lettuce.

"Sorry." Gale said softly.

"It's fine." Katniss mumbled. She looked over to see Peeta with his head bent down talking to the girls beside him. Madge sat pushing food around on her plate.

"Do you get breaks, Peeta, this time of year?" Gale asked.

Peeta chuckled. "No, this is the busy season. We close Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, but that's it. And I'll have a lot of extra hours for the next month. Lot of yule logs ordered for Christmas celebrations. And we do offer custom gingerbread houses. I do all the decorating. Well, me and my dad. My brothers never could get a steady enough hand for it. They stick to the baking."

"Can I come see the bakery?" Becca asked.

Peeta smiled down at her. "I'd like that. I'm sure my dad won't mind, but I'll talk to him." He looked up between Gale and Katniss. "As long as you don't mind, of course."

"Not at all." Katniss said.

"Don't mind." Gale added.

The rest of the meal passed in awkward small talk, but it wasn't completely horrible. Katniss kept looking up the stairs hoping Sam would change her mind and come back down, but it didn't happen.

After they were done eating, Gale offered to clear the table and Madge volunteered to help. Callie and Becca ran up to Becca's room.

Katniss asked, "Peeta, would you like to get some fresh air with me?"

"Katniss." Gale warned.

"You can see through the window." Katniss said. "And we can even leave the door open."

Gale considered it a moment and then said, "You don't have to leave the door open."

Katniss got their coats and she led Peeta onto the back porch.

"What's all that about?" Peeta asked as he leaned back over the railing to look up at the stars.

"We made a deal not to be alone with our soulmates until after the divorce is final." Katniss explained, leaning on the railing a few feet away. "Do you know the constellations?"

"Yeah." He lifted his hand and started pointed. "Cassiopeia, Cetus, Taurus." He chuckled and put his hands in his pockets. "I was a Boy Scout."

She was impressed. "A Boy Scout, huh?"

"Yeah, for a while. Never made Eagle, but I was close." He laughed. "What about you? Do you know them?"

She smiled and pointed. "Perseus, Eridanus, Draco, Ursa Major." She looked over to him. "My dad taught me. Sam and Becca don't really have the patience for it, but I taught them a few. The dippers, at least."

They looked up at the stars for a while longer in silence. Katniss glanced inside to see Madge and Gale laughing about something.

Peeta followed her gaze. "You can take your time. This isn't going to be easy."

Katniss shook her head. "It's not." She looked over. "What was your wife's name?"

"Alex." He said, a sad smile lifting one corner of his mouth.

"How do you think Alex would react to this?"

He thought a moment. "I think she would be supportive. I don't think divorce would be the first thing either of us thought of. I loved my wife. I loved her a lot. I'm still in mourning for her."

"I wouldn't expect it if she were still around. We could be friends." He pointed at the window. "But I'd have to for that. Look at them. I'm so clueless that I never noticed it before. I just assumed a few times they were having an affair. I'm not very…" She swallowed. "It takes me a while to get into the mood in the bedroom." She looked down.

"You don't have to tell me anything else." Peeta assured her.

Katniss glanced up. "Those dreams did something to me, Peeta. And I used him selfishly."

"That's not entirely your fault, Katniss." He assured her. "I had the same reaction. If I had a willing partner, I probably would have acted on it the same way." He slipped his hand into hers. "You can't blame yourself."

Katniss wiped at a tear. "Thanks."

Peeta squeezed her hand. "Any time." He looked down at his watch. "Cal and I should probably head out."

"Okay." She nodded and pushed off from the porch railing.

"Can you and your girls come over for supper at our place next?" He asked as they walked inside. "Monday?"

"I think we can do Monday." She opened the back door.

"Great." He walked to the stairs and called up to Callie.

Madge took that as her cue and made her farewells at the same time. "Thanks for the invite."

"Yeah, we should do it again eventually." Peeta said as he helped Callie into her coat.

"Should probably give Sam some time to get used to it, though." Katniss commented. She looked up the stairs to see Sam peering out of her room. "Gonna say bye?"

Sam responded by slamming her door.

"Well, there's that." Katniss said with a sigh.

Gale placed his hands on her shoulders and squeezed gently. "She'll be okay."

Everyone froze for a moment at the intimate gesture. Katniss stepped away, holding the door open as everyone left.

"That was so stressful." Gale said, flexing his fingers. "Sorry about, uh…"

Katniss shrugged. "I think it will be a while until that's no longer a natural response for you." She headed up the stairs. "I'm going to try again with Sam. Wanna start the bedtime routine with Becca?"

"I'm on it." Gale said as he followed her.


	13. Chapter 13

_Author's note: There's some Gadge in this chapter. Everlark coming very soon, I promise._

 _Huge thanks to my beta JavisTG. Go read her stuff ASAP!_

 _Happy reading!_

Chapter Thirteen

Gale heard Katniss and the girls in the kitchen. He knew it would be okay for him to go in there, normal. But it wasn't really anymore. He rubbed his face and looked toward the clock to see it was just a little after seven. He rarely slept this late on a Sunday.

He stretched just before someone tapped on his door. "Yeah?" He called.

Becca pushed the door open and peered around it. "Daddy, Mama wants to know if you're coming for breakfast."

He smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I'll be in there in a few minutes."

She brightened and started to close the door. Then she thought better of it and ran into the room, jumping up on the bed and throwing her arms around Gale's neck. "I love you, Daddy."

"I love you, Becca." He held her close and kissed her temple. "Go on." He sat her on the floor. "I'll be right behind you."

"Okay." She ran out of the room calling, "Mama, he's awake!"

Gale dressed and made his way to the kitchen. Katniss handed him a plate before she filled her own with bacon, eggs, home fries, and biscuits. She smothered it all in pepper gravy and sat down with the girls at the table. Gale filled his plate in the same manner as her and joined them.

"Anyone want to go do some target practice today?" Gale asked as he took a bite.

"Ooh, me!" Becca said. "I'm getting so much better."

"You are." Katniss said with a proud smile. "Sam-Sam?"

Sam shrugged. "I guess."

"You guess?" Gale asked.

Sam shrugged again. "Are we really going to do family things when we aren't a family anymore?"

"We're never going to stop being a family, Sam." Gale said firmly.

"Then why don't you want to be married to Mom anymore?" Sam demanded.

Katniss placed a hand on Sam's arm. "You don't need to worry about it, okay? This is between me and Dad. If you don't want to go to the range, that's fine."

Sam scooted food around on her plate. "I don't feel like doing anything."

"That's okay." Katniss said.

"But I wanna go." Becca protested.

Gale looked to Katniss who gave a small nod. "You and me can go, Becs."

Katniss turned to Sam. "And you and I can do something. If you want. Just watch a movie. Sit in the same room and do different things."

Sam sighed. "I just want to be alone."

"You can be alone with me." Katniss suggested.

"Maybe." Sam picked up her plate and sat it by the sink before heading out of the room.

"I'm done!" Becca announced. "Can we go yet?"

Gale laughed. "I need to shower first. Go change and get your bow. Make sure the string is still in good shape. We'll leave in, like, twenty minutes." He pointed out the time on the kitchen clock.

"Okay. Don't take forever." Becca ran from the room.

Gale shook his head and scraped his fork across his plate. "I think we'll only be gone a couple hours."

"Maybe take her for ice cream after." Katniss suggested. "And make quality time with her, please. Don't call or text Madge."

"Katniss—"

"No, listen. I know she's your soulmate and you get to do stuff a little more freely now that it's out in the open. But you and I are still married and it wouldn't look right. You said that yourself." She grabbed his arm when he stood. "You're spending time with Becca. And right now we need to make sure that our kids know how much they matter to us. Eventually it's going to hit Becca and she's going to be a mess. Today, make it about her."

Gale nodded. "I get it."

"I don't mean not to text Madge at all, just pay attention to how Becca's shooting. She _is_ getting better and I want her to know you care about that."

"I do."

"Good."

Gale rubbed his face. "You're just aching for a fight, aren't you?"

Katniss sat her plate in the sink. "Maybe I am, but we have more important things going on." She walked out of the kitchen without another word.

Gale listened to the faint tread of her feet on the stairs before he made his way to his room to shower.

* * *

Katniss was sitting in the living room with a book in her hand, staring at the page but not comprehending, when Sam wandered down the stairs. Katniss sat down her book and held out her arms. Sam curled up into her side and pressed her eyes into Katniss's shoulder.

"Can we still go to the range, Mama?" Sam asked.

"Sure." Katniss kissed her temple. "Go get your bow and I'll text your dad."

 **Katniss** : _Sam changed her mind. On our way to you._

 **Gale:** _Sounds great!_

They were out the door a short time later. The range was next to the Hawthorne Sporting Goods shops. Katniss often brought new designs here to test them out.

Gale's truck was parked near the front. A familiar red car was parked beside it. Katniss let out a soft curse under her breath. _Of course he would go against my request._

Sam huffed. "If Madge is here, I change my mind."

Katniss tried to keep her anger to herself Just because she was upset, didn't mean she couldn't be civil. She turned. "I thought you liked Madge."

Katniss could see the muscle working in Sam's jaw. She got that little quirk from her father. "I did."

"She's going to be around a lot, baby. Whatever it is about her that's upset you, we need to fix it."

"You're upset, too. You said 'shit' just now." Sam pointed out.

Katniss nodded and placed a hand on her daughter's knee. "I want you to be comfortable around her. No matter what I think or feel. That's between me and your dad."

"I don't want to shoot anymore." Sam crossed her arms. "She's such a bitch."

"You watch your mouth, Samantha." Katniss warned. "Madge has been my friend almost as long as your dad. I want what's best for all of us."

"But you can't like it." Sam said.  
"It's not anything you need to worry about, Sam-Sam." Katniss opened her car door. "Let's shoot away some of that aggression."

After a few more moments of silent rage, Sam reached for the handle and rolled out of the car.

Inside the range, Gale stood behind Madge showing her how to hold the bow. Katniss's stomach did a little lurch and she heard Sam grumble beside her. Why was she here? Katniss had asked Gale not to call her.

Becca looked on. She pointed to Madge's left hand. "You got it a little high, Madge."

Gale nodded. "Good eye, Becs." He helped Madge readjust her hand and then stepped back. "Now, try it."

Madge pulled the string back and the arrow clattered to the floor. She tried again. The arrow went a few feet down the lane, but landed on the floor again. She laughed and shook her head. "I think I'll leave this to the experts." She handed the bow back to Becca.

"You should try mine." Katniss said as she walked over, dragging Sam in her wake. "Mine has a hand grip you can rest the arrow on and we can adjust the tension." She opened up her bow case, adjusted the string a little, and handed it over.

Madge did a little better with Katniss's bow, but she gave up after a couple more arrows.

"I'll never get the hang of it." Madge said.

"Not everyone is an archer." Gale said. "But we can keep working on it." He gave her a wink.

Sam dropped her case on the floor with a little more force than was entirely necessary.

Madge looked over to Sam as the girl took out her bow. "I want to see what you got, Sam."

Sam looked between her parents and walked to the end and set up a target.

Katniss leaned close to gale and said, "I thought we'd discussed this."

Gale murmured back, "She said she was driving by to go to her office and saw my truck. I promise I didn't text. Or invite her."

Katniss gave him a hard look and then moved her attention to Sam.

Sam took her place and fired three shots in rapid succession, all three landing just shy of center. She groaned and Katniss walked over just as she sent the next arrow down the line, getting a bullseye. Her next arrow fell close enough to the last one that it knocked it out.

Katniss gave her a proud smile and a wink. "Good job, baby." She said softly, squeezing her shoulder.

Sam perked up a little and fired another arrow toward the target. She got another in the center and Gale moved closer.

"Look at you." Gale said proudly. "Get another bullseye and I'll buy you a couple new arrows."

Sam grinned and picked up another arrow. She looked down the line and everyone held their breaths. Sam easily made the shot and threw her hands up in the air in triumph.

Becca huffed. "You didn't offer me that."

Gale knelt in front of her. "How about if you get two more arrows in the target, we'll look at getting you a new bow string?"

Becca shook her head. "I want a new bow. My own. Not Sam's old one. I want to pick one out for me."

Gale and Katniss shared a look and nodded in unison. Gale turned back to Becca and held out his hand. "Deal. But you have to get six in the target."

"Four." Becca countered.

"Five." Gale negotiated.

Becca thought a moment and then slipped her hand into her father's. "You got yourself a deal, Mr. Hawthorne." She picked up her bow and made her way to the target. It was closer than the rest. The first arrow fell short. But the next one stuck on the outer edge. The other four that she shot stuck all over the target. One even made just off center. She looked up at Gale. "Let's go get my bow now."

Madge covered her mouth to stifle a laugh.

Katniss smiled at her younger daughter. "You're going to have to wait, kiddo. I get to make a wager next."

"Oh?" Gale asked. "And what would you like to wager?"

"You and me go shot for shot. If I beat you, then owe me new arrows. One for each point I beat you by. If you beat me, I owe you new arrows. Same rate." Katniss held out her hand. "What do you say?"

"Deal." Gale shook her hand. "Madge, can you help keep the tally?"

Madge looked around the family. "I'm not sure…"

Sam said reluctantly, "I'll help you."

"Me too." Becca was more enthusiastic.

It was a close competition. There was a lot of trash talk between each shot. Madge sat against the wall with Sam and Becca on either side of her helping her to keep up with the points.

"Okay, this is the last arrow." Gale said.

"It's close, Daddy." Becca said. "You better shoot true or Mom's going to kick your butt."

Katniss laughed. "You heard her."

Gale stepped into place and pulled the bow back, aimed, and set the arrow flying. It hit just outside of center.

With a smirk, Katniss sent her own arrow to the target. It hit dead center. She turned to the three with the paper.

"Katniss wins." Madge said with a grin.

Gale sighed. "Okay, I guess I need to go shopping."

Katniss laughed. "You don't have to go right away." She glanced toward Madge and then said. "What if we go for ice cream?"

"Ice cream?" Becca asked, her eyes wide. "I want ice cream!"

"Sounds good to me." Gale looked to Sam and Madge. "What do y'all say?"

Sam nodded. "Yeah, okay."  
Madge shrugged, "I don't know if I…"

"You need to come, Madge." Becca said. "Please?"

"If it's okay?" Madge glanced to Katniss.

Katniss swallowed past the lump in her throat and nodded. "Sure." She leaned down and put her bow back in its case before she moved to gather her arrows.

Madge pulled Gale to the corner of the room and talked softly to him for a few minutes. She squeezed his arm and then followed Gale back to the group. "Thanks for the lesson. I think I'll head home." She winked at Becca. "Raincheck on the ice cream."

"Raincheck?" Becca said.

"It means another time." Madge clarified, rubbing Becca's back.

Katniss felt a great sense of relief as Madge made her exit. Katniss helped the girls put their arrows and targets away.

"Girls, go ahead and get your stuff loaded in the truck." Gale handed over his keys.

"Which one?" Becca asked.

"Either one." Gale said. He watched the girls go. "I'm sorry. Madge just came in and I couldn't just tell her to go away."

"She's a part of your life now." Katniss chewed her lip a moment. "I was worried she would take over, but she didn't."

"She was the one who backed out of ice cream." Gale said.

"I figured. She didn't need to." Katniss let out a breath. "I like that we're still okay, but we definitely need to start having time apart. You do things with the girls separately. With Madge. And I'll do things with the girls and Peeta."

Gale nodded. "We're being too civil."

"It never seems like the right time. I don't want to yell at you in front of the girls or in public." Katniss picked up her bow case. "Come on, let's get some ice cream." She led him out of the building.


	14. Chapter 14

_Author's note: Sorry this took a little longer than I planned. I had foot surgery recently and I wasn't able to get to this as soon as I had hoped. I hope to get more to you quickly. We'll see._

 _I am excited to see what you have to say about the events of this chapter. Katniss and her daughters meet Peeta's parents!_

 _Thanks so much to JavisTG for betaing this. In light of some events at the end, she pointed out something I had completely overlooked. So be prepared, readers, for some big things happening in the coming chapters._

 _Happy reading!_

Chapter Fourteen

Gale stopped the truck in the Hawthorne Sporting Goods parking lot and leaned his head against the seat. "We really need to talk to my parents about this."

Katniss nodded. "Do you think they'll be okay with me staying?"

"Why wouldn't they be?" He gave her a concerned look. "This was your job before we were married. They won't be able to find anyone as talented as you."

She chewed her lip and nodded. "Okay."

"Come on." He slid out of the driver's seat and walked around to meet her as she got out. "We'll go talk to them before we get to work."

"Will you do the talking?" She asked as they walked toward the door.

"Sure. Yeah." He opened the door for her and noticed Madge waiting just inside. "Hey, Madge." He reached out and brushed his fingers over her exposed wrist, feeling the tension leaving his body.

Katniss cleared her throat.

"Katniss and I have some stuff to do." Gale stuck his hands in his pocket. "Can I come talk to you later?"

Madge nodded. "Yes, of course." She turned and headed to her office.

"With the door open." Gale assured Katniss.

Bobby was behind his desk squinting at his computer when Katniss and Gale stepped in. Hazelle finished making coffee.

"Your reading glasses are on top of your head, Dad." Gale said as he shut the door.

Bobby chuckled and pulled them off. "I can't see through the damn things anymore. I need to get stronger ones." He sat them on the table and rubbed his eyes. "What's going on?" He looked over the both of them, his yes landing on Katniss's middle.

Katniss waved her hands with an uncomfortable laugh. "Not pregnant. Far from it."

"We're getting a divorce." Gale said in a rush. Better to get it all out.

"Oh." Hazelle sat down at her desk. "This a little sudden. Are you sure?"

"We are." Gale said. He looked to Katniss for assurance and then turned back to his parents. "We found out we have soulmates. And it has a potential to be romantic." He swallowed. "We never were very romantic together. Which I'm sure you must have noticed. So we've decided to split."

"And what about Sam and Becca?" Hazelle asked. "You've told them?"

"Yeah, they know." Katniss said. She chewed her lip.

"And how are they taking it?" Hazelle asked.

Gale sighed and dropped to the closest chair. "Sam is taking it pretty rough. But Becca's pretty good with it."

"It hasn't hit her yet." Katniss said. "My soulmate is her best friend's dad."

Bobby gave them both a critical look. "Can you still work together?"

"Of course." Gale said.

Katniss nodded. "Yes."

"If it starts to interfere with your work, then I hope you can be as adult about it as you are now." Bobby turned back to his computer.

Hazelle leaned forward. "I want to meet this man of yours, Katniss." She looked to her son. "And who is your soulmate?"

Gale swallowed hard. "It's Madge."

Bobby looked up sharply. "Madge? Madge Undersee? Our head of social media?"

Gale nodded uncertainly.

"And we're just now hearing about it?" Bobby stood. "She's been here for nearly six years."

Gale sighed and rubbed his face. "I know. I should have said something sooner. I've beat myself up about it every day."

Bobby ground his teeth and shook his head. "I can't believe you, Gale."

"I can't believe myself." Gale felt his heart pounding. "I had so many chances, Dad and I didn't take them. But that's all done. We're out in the open now."

Bobby shook his head. "You had six years, Gale. You have a daughter younger than this."

Gale let out a huff. "I fucking know it, Dad."

"Gale." Katniss placed a hand on his shoulder. "Bobby, it's something Gale and I are working on."

"Katniss?" Hazelle asked. "How are you?"

"I'm fine." Katniss said.

Gale relaxed a fraction. "Mom, you know Katniss keeps things close."

Hazelle leveled a look at her son. "So how is she?"

"That's her business." Gale stood and headed for the door. "I have seven orders to finish." He walked out and headed into his shop.

* * *

Katniss shook her head. "Always over dramatic." She said under her breath as she left the office.

Hazelle caught her arm. "Katniss, please, tell me—"

"I'm fine, Hazelle. I really am." Katniss assured her.

"If you need the girls to stay with us for a while or if you need a place to stay…"

"Gale and I decided he's going to live in the guest room for a while." Katniss chewed her lip. "But thanks."

"Just, if you need it." Hazelle gave her a motherly smile. "I suppose you know yourself better than anyone."

"Thank you again." Katniss walked to her shop, pausing just outside of Gale's.

Madge sat up on one of his tables with her camera and a pad of paper. She laughed softly at something Gale said just before she snapped a picture. Katniss saw a flash of a smile on Gale's face. It was something she was sure she hadn't seen from him in a long time. Not like that, anyway.

Katniss swallowed past a lump in her throat and continued on to her work. She moved on autopilot for the morning. The bows she was currently working in were standard, so it was easy to let her hands move and her mind shut down.

Everything was starting to hit her all at once. Having a soulmate. Sam's reaction. Becca's lack of one. And Gale being happy with Madge.

Gale knocked on her door and pushed it open.

Katniss blinked a few times before she realized it was him. "Come in here. Close the door."

"What?" he did as she requested.

"I thought I could handle seeing you with Madge, but I can't." She felt the lump forming again.

He nodded. "I'm sorry, Katniss."

"You need to stop apologizing for things you can't change. We can't change the fact that we have soulmates." She felt the tears stinging her nose. "But it still hurts. Because you lied to me. For five years you lied to me."

"Catnip…"

She shook her head and shoved him out the door. "Just go away, Gale."

"Katniss, come on." He stood in her doorway and didn't allow her to close the door. "Talk to me."

"No. I'm done talking to you." She put her hand on his chest and pushed against him. "I'm telling you to leave me alone."

Gale ground his teeth and worked that muscle in his jaw. "I'll bring you lunch."

"I'm not hungry." Katniss closed the door in his face, flipping the lock as soon as it clicked closed.

She picked up her phone and sent Peeta a text. _I'm not having a good day._ She started at her phone until Peeta's reply came through.

 **Peeta:** _I'm sorry to hear that. Anything I can do?_

She looked toward the door. _No. I'm just jealous and hurt and I have no right to be._

 **Peeta:** _Of Gale?_

 **Katniss:** _Yeah. I just saw him laughing with Madge and it felt like being punched in the face and now I'm pissed off and I shouldn't be. Should I?_

 **Peeta:** _You have every right to be._

 **Katniss:** _You think so?_

 **Peeta:** _I do. You were married to him for a long time._

 **Katniss:** _When the girls and I come tonight, can you and I have a private talk?_

 **Peeta:** _Yes. Absolutely! Dad and Cara are very excited to meet you and your girls._

 **Katniss:** _I'm excited to meet them too. Do we need to bring anything tonight?_

 **Peeta:** _Just yourselves._

Katniss smiled to herself. She would probably feel much better if Peeta could touch her, but just talking with her soulmate made her feel calmer. She went back to work, letting Gale in long enough to hand her a bag from the deli down the road.

"Cheese fries and a Reuben." He said with an apologetic smile. "You okay?"

She nodded. "I talked with Peeta for a while."

"You want to talk with me yet?" He asked.

She pulled the sandwich out of the bag and unwrapped it as she spoke. "I walked by your shop and Madge was in there and you were laughing with her. You were laughing in a way that I haven't seen in a while."

"And you're jealous?" Gale closed the door and moved further into her space. "Of a laugh?"

"I'm jealous and I'm mad." Katniss took a bite of her sandwich and chewed thoughtfully. "You were never that kind of happy with me. You could have been this happy five years ago."

"I _was_ this happy five years ago." He said. "I was happy six years ago. Ten years ago. I love you, Katniss."

"Gale," She sighed, "I can't help but love you."

He smiled and opened the door. "You better get back to work soon, Catnip. You have a date tonight." He winked.

She laughed. "It's not a date."

Katniss ate her lunch quickly and then went back to her projects. She was a little more focused for the afternoon. Talking with Peeta and letting Gale know how she was feeling really helped.

* * *

Callie ran out the door just as Peeta placed Cara's mac and cheese in the middle of the dining table. "You need shoes and a coat, Calliope!" He called after her.

Katniss came into the house with the girl in her arms. "Some little urchin escaped your house." She said with a smirk as she sat Callie down just inside the door. "But I brought her inside to stay warm.

"Thanks." Peeta reached over to smooth a hand over Callie's hair, but she moved away to pull Becca up to her room.

Samantha stepped through the door and stood just inside it.

"Hi, Sam." Peeta said with a welcoming smile.

"Hi." Sam looked around nervously.

Katniss draped an arm over her daughter's shoulders and guided her further into the house. "I'm still amazed that she speaks." She said with a laugh.

Sam shrugged Katniss's arm away.

Cara stepped in from the kitchen and sat a pan of chicken in the middle of the table. "Hello!" She walked around the table and held out her hand to Sam. "You must be Samantha."

"Sam." The girl corrected as she took the offered hand.

Cara smiled. "Sam. I'm Cara."

At a gentle nudge from Katniss, Sam said, "Nice to meet you."

"And this is Katniss." Peeta said, indicating the other woman.

Cara held out her hand to Katniss. "We have heard so much about you."

Katniss shook her hand. "Peeta's talk y'all up."

Conrad walked into the house holding a box in his hands. "Leftover baked goods are the best baked goods." He said, sitting the box down on the table. He walked over to the group with a smile. "I'm Conrad." He took both Katniss's hands in his own. "My goodness, you look familiar."

"Do I?" Katniss laughed. "You must have seen me around."

Conrad snapped his fingers. "Iris Abernathy. That's who you look like."

"Abernathy." Katniss smiled. "Not a lot of people call her by that name. They mostly know her as an Everdeen."

"That's right. Are you Caleb and Iris's daughter?"

Katniss nodded. "The older one. I have a sister."

Peeta looked between the pair.

Conrad laughed. "I didn't know you were her." He clapped Peeta on the shoulder. "Son, you should have told me."

"I didn't even know." Peeta said.

Conrad laughed heartily. "This is amazing. Iris and I were friends in school. Caleb, too." He looked around. "I'll have to pull out my yearbooks later." His eyes landed on Sam. "You must take most of your looks from your father."

"I do." Sam grinned.

"Gale and I both have the gray eyes." Katniss smoothed her hand over Sam's hair. "I'm sorry you can't meet Becca yet, Callie dragged her away as soon as we walked in the door."

Peeta laughed. "I hope those two are always as close."

"I bet they will be." Cara said. She indicated the table. "I need to finish off the potatoes, but everything else is ready." She headed back in the kitchen and Conrad followed.

Peeta pointed up the stairs. "Callie's room is the second on the right, Sam. Will you go get them for us?"

Sam nodded and wandered up the stairs.

Katniss held out her hand and Peeta quickly slipped his into it. He felt the soothing electricity move up his arm.

He sighed. "I'm so happy you're here."

She smiled. "Me too."

"You said you wanted to talk." He pulled her toward the table.

"Later." She said as the girls headed down the stairs. "You can show me the bakery." She slipped into the chair Peeta held out.

"You can sit right here, Becca." Callie patted a chair near the end and sat in the one right next to it. "And Sam here. Grandpa always sits at the very end."

Peeta sat in the seat opposite Sam and gave her an encouraging smile.

Cara walked in with a pan of potato wedges. Conrad followed with a bowl of salad in one hand and two bottles of dressing in his other. They sat them all down and took their seats. Conrad bowed his head and said a quick prayer before motioning for everyone to dig in.

Katniss watched anxiously as Callie and Becca helped each other. She rarely let Becca have a lot of independence when it came to dishing out food, especially something as messy as macaroni and cheese. But she did well.

Conrad and Cara both asked Sam and Becca a lot of questions about school and what they liked to do. It set both girls at ease, especially Sam. Conrad even had the older girl laughing at a silly joke about baking.

Cara turned to Katniss. "So you make bows?"

Katniss nodded. "I do. I took over for my dad after he passed away." She smiled at her girls. "I'm planning on passing on the legacy. Sam already knows a bit."

"Is that so?" Conrad asked. "It's so much more rewarding when you learn from your parents."

"I'm going to make kayaks like my dad." Becca said around a mouthful of fried chicken.

Conrad nodded. "That's a good plan."

Peeta chuckled. "And Cal is going to be a baker. Like the past five generations of Mellarks."

Conrad gave his son a proud smile before he leaned back in his chair. "That was a good meal, Cara."

"Your son did half the work." Cara said as she took one last bite and pushed her plate away. "I need to stop." She laughed. "I made a big mistake marrying into a baking family."

Katniss laughed. "I love food. Good thing we're soulmates, huh?" She nudged Peeta's arm with her elbow.

Sam's face dropped.

Conrad must have noticed and smoothly stood from the table. "Sam, Becca, what do you say to looking through my old yearbooks? See if we can find my signatures from your grandparents?"

Sam nodded and followed Conrad toward the living room. Becca and Callie shared a look and then shrugged at the same time. They bolted into the other room.

Cara started gathering the dishes.

"You did most of the prep, Cara." Peeta said as he reached for the pans in the middle of the table.

Cara took the pan from his hand. "You've been up since before four." Peeta tried to protest some more, but Cara cut him off and gave a little wave. "Go on out of here."

Peeta chewed his lip and asked, "You want to go for a little walk?"

Katniss nodded. "Sure."

They gathered their coats by the front door and walked out into the cool December evening.

"So is everything okay?" Peeta asked.

Katniss sighed and stuffed her hands in the pockets of her coat. She looked over her shoulder to the front door of the house. "I saw Gale and Madge in his shop today. And he was laughing with her." She swallowed. "I don't know, it just…" She let out a slow breath. "I feel cheated."

He was silent for a while as they continued to walk around the front of the bakery. He leaned against a railing that separated the parking lot from the road. "You went to school on the other end of the city, didn't you?"

She nodded. "I graduated the year before the schools were consolidated."

He let out a low thoughtful sound. "Wonder what would have happened if we'd gone to school together."

"We wouldn't have our girls, I don't think." She sat up on the railing. "It would be very different."

"It would." He kicked at a rock. "I get why you're worried about Gale."

"Do you think I'm being ridiculous?" She asked uncertainly.

Peeta turned and placed his hand on top of hers, looking up into her face. A mask of relief spread over Katniss's face. "How long have you been married?"

"Ten years."

"And for five of those, he knew he had a soulmate and never mentioned it. You have every right to feel cheated." He rubbed a thumb over the back of her hand. "He kept this from you for half of your marriage."

"I didn't tell him about you right away." She argued lamely.

"If you want to feel bad about that, then you can. I'm not going to tell you if it's right or wrong. But it doesn't excuse his deception. It doesn't make what he did okay." Peeta raised his hand and cupped her cold cheek. "You should probably have this conversation with him. But I will say that if he cared about you nearly as much as he claims, he should have said something sooner."

Katniss leaned into his hand just a moment before sliding off the railing.

Peeta heard the sound of the kids laughing. "I promised a tour of the bakery." He waved her ahead to find the girls running along the length of the porch.

Sam laughed reluctantly as she watched them. Conrad's familiar guffaw floated across the lawn.

Peeta called, "Who wants to take a look at a bakery?"

"Me!" Becca grabbed Sam's hand and pulled her down the stairs.

There wasn't much to show, but Katniss and Becca seemed impressed. Sam didn't look bored out of her mind, so Peeta supposed that meant she liked seeing the inner workings. They circled around to the back room once more where Peeta decorated cakes.

"We should go." Katniss said. "School night and work night."

Peeta nodded and motioned for the back door.

Katniss handed Sam her keys. "Go get in the car."

The girls ran out yelling, "Bye, Peeta!"

Katniss turned to Peeta. He grabbed her hand and held it warm in his own for several silent moments. She looked into his eyes and a million images of many other lifetimes flashed in front of her eyes. Katniss placed her free hand on his cheek and felt the warmth spread up her arm. Her chest grew tight as she felt the love of thousands of years flowing through her veins. She leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to his lips. There was a different kind of electricity in that moment. It was a spark that started a fire in her belly.

She pulled away and looked into his eyes. They were a million colors and shapes, but she knew they were all the same as the beautiful blue irises that paused in front of her vision as she blinked back into the present.

Peeta stared with wide eyes, his fingers rubbing his lips like they still stung.

"I'm..." Katniss dropped her hands and hurried out the door.

"Katniss, wait." Peeta called after her.

She launched herself into the front seat of her car, pausing long enough to see that the girls were strapped into their seats.


	15. Chapter 15

_Author's note:_ _This chapter's kind of a tear-jerker. Prepare yourself with some tissues._

 _Many thanks to my awesome beta JavisTG!_

 _Happy reading._

Chapter Fifteen

Peeta walked to the house in a bit of a daze. His lips still stung. He hung up his coat and keys and leaned against the closed door. An image popped in his mind of a girl in a flapper dress. It was like a memory, but there was nothing in his life that ever warranted anyone wearing a dress like that.

"Daddy, can I sleep in your bed tonight?" Callie asked, tugging on Peeta's hand and breaking him out of his thoughts.

"Cal, you need to start sleeping in your own bed." At his daughter's pout, Peeta sighed and smiled. "I tell you what, you start out in your bed and if you don't fall asleep right away, you can sleep in my room."

She smiled. "That sounds like a great plan!" She ran off toward the stairs. "I'm not tired at all, so I'll win."

Peeta laughed and followed at a slower pace. He couldn't shake the thought of the girl in the flapper dress. And a part of him knew the girl was him. It had to be.

"I'm taking a bubble bath tonight." Callie announced, pouring a hefty amount of the solution into the tub as it filled.

It took a bit to process the upturned bottle. "Callie, that's way too much!"

"Oops." She didn't sound a bit contrite as she pushed the cap back down.

He laughed and shook his head. "I guess you get to have bubbles up over your head tonight." He turned off the water. "It's getting late, so wash up quick and then play for a bit. I'll just be in my room if you need me." He walked out of the bathroom.

Peeta picked up his sketchbook and went to work on the image that had popped into his head. The girl's dark hair was in a bob at her chin and completely straight. He smiled to himself knowing that it was a sharp contrast to his current self.

Callie called, "Daddy, will you come wash my hair?"

Peeta sat the sketch aside and went back to the bathroom. "Grandma and Grandpa are trying to sleep, so no more yelling." He saw the water splashed all the way to the doorway and heaved a sigh. "Is there any water left in the tub?" He pushed aside the bubbles and started the hair washing process.

Callie giggled. "You're funny, Daddy."

"Yeah, well, my jeans are now soaked from all this mess. We need to work on the splashing." He rubbed shampoo into her hair. "Would you like to live somewhere else, Cal?"

"Where?" She wiped some soap out of her eye.

"Like where it's just you and me?" Peeta asked.

Callie shook her head. "I want to be with Grandma and Grandpa."

"But what if we lived somewhere else, you and I could have our friends over more. And Daddy would really like to move." He finished rinsing the soap out of her hair.

She gave him a hard look. "Don't you like Grandma and Grandpa?"

"I love them a lot." He said. "But this is their house. Don't you want to have our own house?"

She shrugged. "I like my room here."

Peeta nodded. "I like my room here too." He finished rinsing her hair and grabbed up a towel. "Pull the plug."

He helped her out and finished getting ready for bed. She was asleep before he finished the first page of her bedtime story.

Peeta returned to his own room and picked up the sketchbook again. He started drawing again and before he knew it, his alarm was beeping. Good thing he was no stranger to working on no sleep.

* * *

Katniss lay awake all night. She'd let the girls tell Gale about the evening and kept quiet. She was still reeling from the kiss and all the lifetimes that had flashed through her mind just before.

As she finally gave up on sleep, she rolled out of bed and a realization hit her. If she'd experienced all those lifetimes with Peeta, then Gale _must_ have had that with Madge.

And the thought suddenly made Katniss very angry.

She walked down the stairs and stood in the doorway to Gale's room. A smile played on his lips as he dreamed.

The alarm started buzzing and Gale rolled over to shut it off. Katniss walked away so he wouldn't know she'd been watching him like a creeper. She started the coffee pot and headed up to take a shower.

Katniss fumed the whole time, trying to think of what to say to confront him about it all.

She was still trying to think of something as she walked downstairs. She stopped short when she saw Gale leaning against the counter with a steaming cup in his hands. His hair was still damp from the shower.

He gave her a smile. "Good morning."

Katniss ignored him and picked up the coffee pot, pouring herself a cup silently. And then she turned. "How many lives have you dreamed about with Madge?"

He was caught off-guard by the sudden question and sputtered for several seconds before he let out a sigh and set down his coffee cup. "Three." He rubbed his eyes tiredly.

"While you slept by me every night?" Her voice was steady, but her whole body shook with rage. "For five years you knew you had lived all these lifetimes with someone else and you decided to keep it to yourself?"

He sighed. "It never seemed the right time." He reached for her hands.

She jerked hers away. "That's bullshit, Gale, and you know it."

"I'm horrible, Katniss. Is that what you want to hear?" He was fighting hard to keep his voice steady, she could tell. "I fucked up." He clenched his fists at his side. "I don't know how you've kept from exploding on me before this."

"I'm just hurt." Her voice finally started to give.

"I know." There was a thickness in his words.

"No, I don't think you do." Katniss sat her cup down without taking a drink. "For five years you kept the fact that you had a soulmate from me. And now I found out that not only is she your soulmate, but you've dreamed of three lives you've experienced together."

"Why does this suddenly matter, Katniss?" Gale challenged. "Huh?"

She picked up her cup so fast the hot liquid sloshed out on her hand. She let out a soft curse.

"You okay?" His voice was full of concern.

"I'm fine." She spat as she wiped her hand on her pants. "You want to know why I'm upset?" She held her cup closer, willing the warmth inside to give her courage. "I saw more of my lifetimes with Peeta. I didn't know there were others. It was overwhelming. You're supposed to be my best friend. A best friend wouldn't keep something like that to themselves." She took a sip of her coffee to calm her nerves. "And then I… I kissed Peeta."

"You what?" Gale visibly bristled.

Katniss shook her head. "Don't you dare get mad about that. I didn't keep it from you for five years."

"Well, I've never kissed Madge." He argued.

"In _this_ life." She shot back, her voice rising a little.

"No, not in this life. I'm a little better than that." There was a slight edge of condescension in his voice.

"So you're saying I'm the bad one?" She demanded. "Because I lost sight of myself for a moment? Because I was overwhelmed by a flood of lifetimes I didn't know existed?"

"No, I'm not saying that." He backpedaled.

She glared. "You knew when all this came out that there were more lifetimes. You could have said something." Katniss gripped her cup. "God, Gale, this is the most difficult thing I've ever faced in my life. And you've done next to nothing to try to soften the blow of it all."

Gale waved his hand grasping for something. "What do you want me to say, Katniss?"

"I want an apology, at the very least." Her voice was soft. "Don't I deserve that?"

"I've apologized a thousand times, Catnip, I can't—"

She held up her hand. "Not for this, Gale." She swallowed past the lump in her throat. "I hate you right now." She looked toward the stairs. "I don't think we should live together. It's confusing for everyone."

"I'll get my things packed and move out as soon as possible." He promised.

"No." She swallowed. "I know you said you wanted me to have the house, but it feels wrong."

He nodded. "What if we sell it? Would that work?"

"I guess." She sighed. "I need to walk away from this for a while." She headed for the door.

"I'm sorry, Katniss." Gale said softly, stopping her in her tracks. "For all of it. For keeping the truth about Madge from you. For not coming clean sooner. For dreaming about someone else so much without telling you. I've dropped the ball. And I really am so sorry."

Katniss let out a long breath. "Thank you. But I haven't decided to forgive you yet." She walked out of the room to get the girls up for school.

* * *

Katniss sat on her bed. She should have been doing so many things, but all she did that morning was sit and stare at the walls she'd lived in for a decade. Walls that felt like they were closing in. What was she supposed to do?

She picked up her phone and sent a text to Prim. _Lunch?_

 **Prim:** _Sure. Chinese? I got hella cravings for some chicken fried rice._

Katniss smiled to herself. _Meet you there in ten._

She gathered her things and headed out the door thinking about her own pregnancy cravings. Chocolate had been her main hankering with Sam. With Becca, it had been meatloaf, her mom's old recipe. She never could get it quite right and it caused a lot of tears. She blamed it mostly on the hormones, which was a very good excuse at the time. She'd never been able to replicate it since then either and it always upset her.

Prim was already out of her car and heading into the restaurant when Katniss put her SUV in park. Katniss hurried up and caught her before she got to the hostess podium, sharing a quick hug before Prim held up two fingers.

They were shown to a table. Thankfully they were just a little before the lunch rush. Prim ordered without looking at the menu and Katniss just seconded it. She didn't mind chicken fried rice.

"Talk to me." Prim said as soon as the waiter walked away.

Katniss took in a long breath and then let it out slowly. "Okay, I need you to just listen to me and not comment on anything until I'm done."

Prim made a zipping gesture across her lips.

"The girls and I spent the evening with Peeta and his family yesterday." Katniss was so nervous her voice shook. "Peeta showed us around the bakery after dinner. And he and I were alone." She swallowed and dropped her voice. "I looked at him and saw us in other lifetimes. It was beautiful and frightening and just… _everything_. It was intense. And I kissed him." She put her face in her hands. "I didn't know there was more than one life. And Gale…"

"Do you want me to take him out?" Prim said in a low voice.

Katniss laughed. "No, but thanks." She leaned her head on her hand. "I need to move out."

"We have a room." Prim reached across the table and patted Katniss's other hand. "If you can stand being around another Hawthorne."

"Yours didn't lie to me for five years." Katniss turned her hand over and wrapped her fingers around Prim's. "Why are there so many of them, Prim? Why did I let myself get so tangled up in this family? I don't have any friends outside of it. Not really."

"You've never been one for many friends." Prim rested her hand on her heart. "I like being surrounded by people, that's my thing." She gestured across the table. "You just need two or three good friends. Gale and me were that for you. And there's nothing bad about that." She squeezed Katniss's hand. "But now you're getting to know Peeta. Maybe you can start to hang out with his friends some more and branch out from all of us."

Katniss nodded.

The waiter came with their plates piled high with rice. Prim poured a large amount of soy sauce on hers while Katniss just added a little.

"I don't know if that's healthy." Katniss remarked under her breath.

Prim shrugged. "Everything in moderation." She took a bite.

Katniss shook her head. "That moderation doesn't need to be all in one meal."

Prim waited until Katniss had a forkful of food near her mouth to ask, "So what was the kiss like?"

Katniss shrugged as she chewed. "It was just a peck." She swallowed. "Nothing special. I'm still married."

"Yeah, but you kissed your soulmate. Is it any different?" The curious tone in Prim's voice was the one she always had when she was learning a new medical fact.

Katniss chewed her food a moment and then said, "My lips stung, like static electricity. And it sparked a fire that's been slowly burning up my body ever since."

Prim blinked. "Must have sparked something else. You a writer now?"

Katniss laughed. "Maybe it's rubbing off. Peeta's pretty good with words."

"Wonder if he's good with anything else." Prim said thoughtfully.

"I'm not in a position to find out anytime soon." Katniss pushed her rice around on her plate. "Enough about me for a bit. How are you feeling?"

"I'm hungry. And I'm tired." Prim sighed. "I have this foggy thing going on and I forget simple things."

"Pregnancy brain is the worst." Katniss said with a smile.

Prim leaned forward and shoveled the rice into her mouth like she was starving. She sat back after a few mouthfuls and sighed. "I'm going to gain a hundred pounds."

Katniss chuckled. "You might if you give up being active." She pushed food around on her plate for several moments before she took another bite. "I could join you in your runs."

Prim snorted and then threw her head back to laugh. "You? Running? On purpose?" She laughed some more. "Sure, we can get right on that."

Katniss shrugged. "I'm about to be back on the marriage market again. I need to be fit."

"If this Peeta guy is worth anything, he'll like you just as you are." Prim grinned. "Which is hot, by the way. No one would believe you had two kids."

Katniss rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

Prim ate several more bites and then paused for a sip of water. "So what's this guy like? Your soulmate? We haven't had a chance to talk about it."

After taking her time to swallow her latest mouthful, Katniss said, "He's kind. Very soft-spoken, but speaks his mind. Gives some pretty decent advice, as far as I can tell. He bakes. He's a single dad. Lives with his parents." She looked down at her plate. "You want to know what he looks like, though, don't you?"

Prim laughed. "Yeah, that's what I was getting at, but I'm glad you see the other stuff is a little more important. So?"

"Blonde hair, blue eyes. Dimple in his cheek." Katniss said the next softly, "And a cute chin."

"Did you just say he has a cute chin?" Prim asked around a suppressed giggle.

"Maybe." Katniss shoved a bunch of rice in her mouth and then picked up her phone. "Gee, look at the time. Someone has to get back to the clinic."

Prim shook her head and caught the waiter's attention. "I didn't know you had a chin thing. I have a nose thing. It's not weird."

The waiter brought them each a box and sat down the check. Katniss swiped up the ticket before her sister had the chance to grab it.

"A nose thing?" Katniss asked as they walked out.

Prim grinned and pointed to her nose. "Rory's kind of goes up at the end. It kind of makes me think of a fairy or something. It's adorable and I really hope all our babies get that nose."

Katniss chuckled. "Gale has it too. So do our girls. Maybe it's a dominant gene."

"God, I hope so." Prim leaned against her car. "My nose is kind of boring."

Katniss kissed Prim's cheek. "It's not boring on a baby. Even one you didn't want taking away all your attention." She opened her door and paused. She turned back to Prim. "So I _can_ stay with you guys tonight?"

Prim nodded. "Sure. As long as you need. I'll talk to Rory. Just you? Or you and the girls?"

Katniss swallowed. "I don't know. I don't want to be _that_ mom, you know? I don't want them to think I left them, but I don't know if I want to put them in the middle of it. To choose."

"What if they stay with Hazelle and Bobby? You stay with us? Gale stays alone? You guys can talk about everything without kids in earshot?"

Katniss thought about it a moment. "That would probably be good."

Prim pulled Katniss into a tight hug. "You're a good mom, Katniss. You were to me anyway. You let me have my say in everything, even if you chose differently in the end because you thought your choice was better than mine. And it was half the time." Prim stepped back. "Sam is definitely old enough to have an opinion. So let her."

Katniss nodded and pulled Prim in for another tight embrace. "I love you so much, Little Duck."  
"I love you, Mother Goose." Prim kissed her cheek and then stepped away. "I'll have a bed ready for you. Just let me know if I should prepare for one or three." She slid into her driver's seat and took off a moment later.

With a sigh, Katniss got into her own car and headed back home. She wasn't sure what to do. She just knew sleeping in that house wasn't an option anymore.

She packed a bag and paced the house until Gale brought Sam and Becca home.

Sam saw the suitcase waiting by the door and burst into tears. "Don't go, Mom."

Katniss pulled her into a tight embrace. "Listen, I want to stay with you, I really do. But this is something Daddy and I need." She pushed Sam away slightly and smoothed her hair out of her face. "It's kind of like when you and Becca are fighting and we make you two go have your own space and cool down." Katniss glanced toward Becca. "I need some space from Daddy, so I'm going to stay with Aunt Prim and Uncle Rory for a while."

"Why can't you two just stay apart here in the house?" Sam asked tearfully.

Gale wiped a tear from Sam's cheek. "Mom and I still want to be friends. So this is good for us. For all of us."

Katniss nodded. "You two can choose where you stay. You don't have to come with me, but it's fine if you do. It's totally okay if you want to stay here. And if you want to be away from both of us, Grandma and Grandpa said you could stay there."

Becca pressed her face into Gale's neck.

"What are you thinking, Becs?" Gale asked as he rubbed her back. "Hm?"

"I don't want you mad." Becca wailed.

"We won't be mad." Gale assured her softly.

"I want to stay with you, Daddy." Becca mumbled into his neck.

Katniss nodded and rubbed Becca's back. "That's fine."

Becca raised her head. "You're not mad, Mama?"

"I'm not." Katniss pressed a kiss to her cheek. She whispered, "I love you so much, Rebecca."

Becca reached for Katniss. Wrapped in her mother's arms, she cried her heart out into Katniss's shoulder.

Sam sniffed. "I want to stay with Grandma and Grandpa."

Gale nodded and handed over his phone. "Call them and go pack a bag."

"I'll drop you there on my way to Aunt Prim's." Katniss said with a thick voice. She kissed Becca's temple and sat her on the floor. "Go help your sister."

"I don't need help." Sam protested.

"Take her with you, please?" Gale asked.

Sam sighed and grabbed Becca's hand.

Katniss wiped at the tears that finally escaped her eyes. "I don't want to do this, but I have to."

"I know." Gale said. "I've been thinking about it all day. I think we do need to sell the house. That'll help us all make a clean start."

"Where will you live?" Katniss asked softly.

"With my parents." Gale rubbed the back of his neck. "I had a long talk with them. Told them everything. They think it's a good idea, too. And they said Madge can hang out as much as she wants so we're never really alone."

Katniss squeezed his bicep. "I'll call Becca at bedtime."

Gale placed his hand over hers. "Once we get settled, we'll figure out a schedule." He looked up the stairs. "It's good to let them have a choice, but we are their parents and I want to make sure we get quality time and keep up a good relationship."

Katniss nodded. "You should take the girls and Madge to a movie or something. They were with me and Peeta, so…"

Gale kissed her forehead. "We'll be okay, Catnip."

"I know." She stepped back and glanced up the stairs. "I'm taking the rest of the week off. I'm ahead with all my orders. I'll look for a more permanent place and set up a meeting with a realtor."

"Okay." Gale said softly.

Sam came down the stairs with her overnight bag slung over her shoulder. "I want to get out of here." She continued toward the door.

"Give your dad a hug." Katniss called to her back.

Sam paused, turned, and gave Gale a tight hug.

Gale kissed the top of her head. "I love you, Sami."

"I love you, Daddy." Sam sniffed and ran out the door.

Katniss looked up the stairs at Becca and held out her arms. "Hug me goodbye?"

Becca walked slowly down the stairs and into her mother's arms. "Will you sing me the song, Mommy?"

Katniss pressed her mouth close to Becca's ear and sang softly, "Deep in the meadow, under the willow. A bed of grass, a soft green pillow. Lay down your head and close your eyes. And when they open, the sun will rise." She swayed back and forth as she sang the song. Becca sniffled against her shoulder. Katniss finished the song and kissed her cheek. "I love you, Becca. Keep Daddy company and I'll see you tomorrow." She gently passed Becca to Gale's waiting arms. "I'll call later."

Katniss left the house, wiping her eyes as she rolled her suitcase to her SUV.

"Did you give your dad his phone back?" Katniss asked as she and Sam settled into the seat.

"I gave it to Becca." Sam leaned her head against the window. "Does Jensen still cry a lot at night?"

"Probably not too much." Katniss backed slowly out of the driveway.

Sam sniffed. "Okay."

"You can change your mind at any time, Sam-Sam." Katniss assured her. "Daddy and I need a break from each other, not from you and your sister."

"I know." Sam's voice was soft and strangled. "I saw you kiss Peeta."

Katniss gripped the steering wheel tight and pulled into a parking lot. "That was…"

"Mom, don't make excuses." Sam turned her angry gaze on Katniss. "Is that why you're moving out?"

Katniss swallowed hard and wiped at her eyes. "Part of it."

"Is Peeta your boyfriend now?" Sam asked softly. "And Madge is Dad's girlfriend?"

"No. Just soulmates getting to know each other." Katniss reached over and smoothed her hand over Sam's hair. "Dad and I are going to get our divorce and then it might become something different."

"So are you going to kiss Peeta again?"

"I don't plan on it." Katniss swallowed. "Look, let me tell you something about soulmates. Something I didn't know until just before I kissed Peeta." She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "We've lived several lifetimes together. Our souls were in other bodies and then we died and our souls were in different ones. And it happened a lot."

"And your souls love each other?" Sam asked, swiping her sleeve over her nose.

Katniss nodded. "Yeah, they do."

"So it wasn't you kissing Peeta, it was your soul kissing his?"

Katniss laughed. "Yeah, it kind of was."

Sam looked out the window again. "I want to stay with you. I changed my mind." She turned toward Katniss. "Is that okay?"

Katniss nodded. "That's perfectly okay." She kissed Sam's temple and pulled out of the parking lot.

Sam asked several questions about soulmates on their short trip across town. It felt good to Katniss that Sam was starting to open up and relax about the situation. She was sure there was still quite a way to go, but it was a good start.


	16. Chapter 16

_Author's note: I've planned on posting this for a while, but I got caught up writing on my original novel. But I have another chapter on deck, so I hope to have that one up in a week (maybe less). There's a lot of Gadge in this chapter. So if you're here for the Everlark I'm sorry (but not entirely because I have a huge soft spot for Gale and I won't apologize for that)._

 _Many thanks to my beta JavisTG! Go read her stuff!_

 _Happy reading!_

Chapter Sixteen

Gale rubbed Becca's back sleepily. She'd cried herself to a fitful sleep for the next several hours.

His phone buzzed on the nightstand and he answered before the screaming started again.

"Hello?" Gale tried to keep his voice as soft as possible, but Becca still stirred.

"Hi." Madge said. "Are you okay? You haven't answered any of my texts."

Gale looked down at the sleeping form of his daughter and slowly got out of the bed to walk down the hall to sit on the stairs. "Katniss left." He was surprised at how thick his voice was. "Sam went with her and Becca decided to stay. But it's been a rough evening."

"What happens next?" Madge asked.

Gale rubbed his face and sighed. "Tonight I'd just really like to sleep." A sob escaped him. "Are they going to hate me, Madge? Will my daughters think I'm a horrible person when they get older and start asking questions and find out how I lied?"

"Do you want me to come over, Gale?" She asked softly.

"No." He said quickly. "That wouldn't be right."

"Okay. Then I'll stay on the phone as long as you need me to." She paused. "I don't think they'll hate you. I think they may be hurt, but they won't hate you. Just answer their questions as they come. Be honest with them."

"And therapy, right?" He wiped his eyes and stood, making his way back to the bedroom.

"Yes, therapy is very helpful."

"I'll talk to Katniss about it." He leaned against the doorframe. Becca was finally relaxed, her arms and legs thrown out across the bed. "She suggested that you and I should do something with the girls. You know, just us."

"I think that would be good." Madge yawned. "What about that pizza and a movie?"

"Sure. We can go Friday, if you want."

"Then it's a date."

Gale turned away from the bedroom. "A date?"

"If you want it to be." She quickly said. "It could just as easily be friends hanging out."

He ran his hand through his hair. "Just friends for now, Madge. Okay? For the girls' sake."

"I can do that. Totally." She assured him. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"No, I'm not coming in. Katniss and I need to do some stuff." He swallowed. "We haven't filed for divorce yet, but it needs to just happen. We were waiting for the holidays, but…"

"Do you need me to do anything? Bring you anything?"

"I'm fine." Gale sighed.

"I have a few connections." Madge said softly. "I could help move things along on a fast track. All I have to do is call my dad and he can pull some strings."

"I don't know, Madge."

"Just a suggestion."

"Thanks." He sighed. "I need to try to get some sleep." Gale walked back toward Becca's room.

"Text me, okay?" Madge asked.

"I will." Gale finished the call and then headed toward the master bedroom.

* * *

Becca bounced up and down in the seat when she saw where Gale pulled in. "Can I see Callie?" She asked.

Gale chuckled. "If she's in there. I thought we could get some donuts for Mom and Sam."

"And Aunt Prim and Uncle Rory?" Becca threw off her seatbelt as soon as the car stopped moving.

"Yes, of course." Gale slid out of the seat and hurried around to lift Becca out onto his shoulders.

Peeta greeted them with a warm smile when he recognized them. "What can I do for you?"

"Is Callie here?" Becca asked over her father's shoulder.

Peeta shook his head. "She's at home with her grandma getting ready for school."

"Aw, man." Becca sighed.

Gale patted her arm. "You're going to see her soon. You'll be fine." He turned back to Peeta. "Can we get a dozen donuts?"

"Sure." Peeta moved toward the section of donuts. "Frosted, plain, or assorted?"

Becca pointed, "I want that pink one! Please, Daddy?"

Gale chuckled. "Sure." He nodded toward the case. "Pink for Becca. Sam would want chocolate, right?"

"No, she likes the plain ones." Becca said. "But Mama probably wants chocolate."

"Mama likes plain, too." Gale said. "Go ahead and do assorted for the rest of them, please."

"So how are Katniss and Sam this morning?" Peeta asked as he finished filling the box.

"Don't know yet." Becca said. "They stayed with Aunt Prim."

"Oh." Peeta closed the box. "I didn't know that."

Gale felt a little smug for a moment. "Yeah." He looked around the shop at the curious customers. "How much do I owe you?"

Peeta gave a price and Gale handed over his card.

An older man that bore a very strong resemblance to Peeta stepped into the front. He smiled at Becca and greeted her. He held out his hand to Gale. "You must be Gale."

Gale shook his offered hand. "I am. You're Peeta's dad?"

"His name is Conrad, Daddy." Becca said as she hopped down from her father's shoulders. "We're buying donuts."

"Graham made the donuts this morning." Conrad said with a grin. "He's better than me these days."

"But I'm better than Graham." Peeta handed the box of donuts to Becca. "You want to carry those?"

Becca turned her face up to Gale. "Can I, Daddy?"

"Yeah, just be careful." Gale stuck his debit card back in his wallet.

"Tell Katniss and Sam hello for us." Conrad said with a warm smile.

"We will." Gale rested his hand on top of Becca's head. "Thanks." He guided Becca through the crowd.

"Hey, Gale?" Peeta called.

Gale stopped and turned. "Yeah?"

"Where do Sam and Becca spend the break?" Peeta asked. "Do they go to work with you and Katniss?"

"Sometimes." Gale glanced down at Becca, a tightening in his chest. "Sometimes they stay with my sister, but she's got a baby of her own, so I don't know this year."

"Well, my stepmom said that she would love to keep an eye on them a day or two if you need." Peeta smiled at Becca. "I was going to call Katniss later and talk to her about it."

"I'm sure Becs here would love that." Gale rubbed his daughter's head. "I'll talk to Katniss."

"Good." Peeta nodded. "I got to get back to work. It was good seeing you."

"Yeah." Gale guided Becca out the door.

"Can I stay with Cara, Daddy?" Becca asked as she climbed into the SUV.

"I'll talk to your mom about it." Gale assured her, climbing into the driver's seat.

* * *

"Come on, Sam-Sam, it's time to get up." Katniss said as she shook Sam's shoulder for the millionth time.

"I don't want to go anywhere, Mom." Sam pulled the blanket over her head.

"Baby, you have to get up for school. There are only a few more days until break."

The doorbell rang.

"Who shows up at a house this early?" Sam sat up.

Becca called, "We brought donuts from Conrad's bakery."

"Daddy's here?" Sam jumped out of the bed and ran into the front of the house.

"Should have just called him." Katniss said as she followed her daughter into the other room at a much slower pace.

Gale talked softly with Rory in the kitchen, Rory pouring out mugs of coffee. Sam was wrapped around his waist and he rocked her back and forth. He smoothed his hand over her hair.

Becca ran over to Katniss and hugged her tightly. "Mama, I missed you so much!"

Katniss lifted her up and carried her into the other room. "I missed you too."

"We saw Peeta, Mama." Becca explained. "And he said that Cara wanted to watch me and Sam over the break."

"Did she?" Katniss looked to Gale for confirmation.

Gale nodded. "I told Peeta I'd talk to you about it."

She smiled. "You saw Peeta?"

He returned her smile. "I did." He glanced to Rory. "Help yourselves to donuts." He kissed the top of Sam's head. "I want to talk to your mom a minute, okay?"

Sam nodded and moved toward the box on the counter.

Becca hopped out of her mother's arms. "The pink one is mine. But if you want it, Sam, you can have it."

Gale and Katniss moved into the living room. Gale combed his fingers through his hair. "I think we should go to the courthouse today. Get the stuff we need for the divorce."

"Are you sure you don't want to wait until after the holidays?"

He shook his head. "We should just get it over with, Catnip. After that, I'll help with all the other stuff."

"Thank you." She swallowed. "I didn't want to do it alone, but…"

"I know." He smiled. "We're both so stubborn."

"We are." She laughed.

"Madge offered to see if her dad can pull some strings and speed it along. I told her no for now."

"We should be fine going the normal pace." She smiled as Becca walked into the room.

"Here you go, Mama." Becca held out a chocolate donut.

"Thanks, baby." Katniss pulled Becca onto her lap and pressed her eyes into her daughter's hair. "I missed you so much, Becca."

"I missed you, Mama." Becca said softly. "I cried and cried."

"I cried and cried too." Katniss kissed her cheek and took the donut. "Thanks for bringing me a donut."

"Hey, where's mine?" Gale asked.

"You can get your own, Daddy." Becca tucked herself into a ball against her mother's chest. "Daddy sang the meadow song, but it wasn't as good as when you sing it."

Katniss laughed. "Dad can't carry a tune." She winked at Gale as his head whipped around to glare at her. She hummed the song as she ate her donut.

* * *

Madge picked up her phone for the millionth time. Gale hadn't sent her a single text all day. She struggled through her work as she tried to ignore the silence. Bobby and Hazelle had both been a little cold, but were starting to warm up. Madge guessed it was due to the secret she and Gale had kept for so long.

Finally, late in the afternoon, her phone started ringing.

"Gale?" She said maybe a little too anxiously.

Gale laughed on the other end. "Yeah. I'm sorry I didn't call sooner. Katniss and I were in with a lawyer for the morning."

"And what did you find out?"

"It's going to take ninety days for the divorce to be final. But since we're doing this mutually, there's not a whole lot of issue." He sighed. "And we agreed to therapy. Katniss suggested it, oddly enough."

She smiled to herself. "Well, it'll help a lot. It was good for me when my dad moved and I was still here."

"Kind of a sucky thing for him to do." Gale said. "Just take off."

"Well, my mom died. There were just painful memories here for him." She explained. "Therapy helped me discover that."

"Well, I took it upon myself to research family and child therapists. Want to help me with that?"

"Gladly." Madge sat on the floor behind her desk. "I missed you today."

"I miss you too." Gale's voice grew quiet. "I feel drained and disconnected."

"I'm here for the recharge, Gale." She said.

"Thank you, Madge. Hold on." She could hear a muffled conversation. He must be talking with Katniss. "I'm back. Sorry, Katniss and I are going to meet up with a realtor about selling the house. She was telling me about the appointment."

"You're selling your house?" Madge felt her heart constrict for the girls. "Where are you going to live?"

"My parents' house for a while. Katniss is staying with her sister until she gets a place." He paused and she could almost picture him rubbing his face. "I think Becca's going to stay with me and Sam with Katniss until we get a little more settled. Probably switch off."

"Are we still on for Friday?" She asked as she got back to her desk.

"I'm in if you are." She could hear the shift in his voice. "We'll talk a little more tomorrow when I get in. I have to go. I'm sure you need to get back to work."

"Yeah." She sighed. "So many questions this time of year."

"And I'm behind. I'll probably come in and work the evenings to try and catch up." He paused. "Just a minute, Catnip." He went back to the conversation with Madge. "I'll call you later, okay?"

"Later." Madge hung up the call and turned back to her computer. It bothered her that he still used that old nickname with Katniss. It was far too intimate. She supposed she couldn't fault him, but it was still a bit of a sting.

She pushed that away and worked hard for the rest of the day. Though she did jump to answer her phone every time it went off. She ignored everything that wasn't work-related until it was Gale again.


	17. Chapter 17

_Author's note: Guys! There's Everlark all up in this chapter. Holla!_

 _I also have a couple lines from a song by Amy Lee off her Dream Too Much children's album called If You're a Star. Go look it up (the whole CD, not just that song) because it's so lovely!_

 _Huge thanks to my beta JavisTG! Go check her out!_

 _Happy reading!_

Chapter Seventeen

Peeta leaned over the Yule log cake. It was a very detailed project and he loved working on them. All the world melted away and he was able to just focus on every tiny bit of bark and the bits of fungi that clung to it.

"Hey, Peanut, you going to pick up the kids?" Conrad asked over his shoulder.

Peeta floated back to the real world and looked up at the clock. "Oh! Yeah, I better." He slid the cake off the table and headed toward the fridge. "This is almost done, I think."

"It looks great." Conrad said. "And your phone's been ringing in your locker." He went back into the kitchen.

Peeta got his phone and keys from his locker and checked his messages as he made his way out the back. Katniss had sent him a text.

 **Katniss:** _Can I call you when I get off work?_

Peeta smiled and wrote his reply. _Sure! I'm watching the Odair kids. Annie and Finnick are doing their Christmas shopping. You could come over. That wouldn't violate your rules, would it?_

He got Pearl from her preschool and then made his way to the ridiculously long car line of the elementary school. Pearl chattered along in the back about her day. Someone tapped on the window to his car and he looked over to see Brendan waving at him. Peeta pressed the button to unlock the door.

"Hey, kiddo." Peeta said as Brendan slid into the front seat.

"Hey, Peeta. Hi, Pearlie." Brendan shivered and put his hands in front of the vent.

"Hi, Brendan!" Pearl called from the back seat.

Brendan rubbed his hands together and then burrowed into his coat. "We're ordering pizza, right? I'm starved."

"Me too!" Pearl exclaimed.

"We'll order pizza later, but I'll get you guys a snack when we get to your house." Peeta promised. He moved up a car length. "What do you think your folks are gonna get you for Christmas?"

Brendan shrugged. "I just asked for money. I'll probably get clothes."

Peeta laughed. "Probably." He picked up his phone to find he had a text.

 **Katniss:** _Nope. Don't think so._

 **Peeta:** _Well, I'll appreciate having you there. More kids than I'm used to solo._

Callie and Mags were bouncing on their toes. It was cold outside and the car two spots ahead was taking a million years to get settled and leave. When Peeta finally stopped in front of them, the girls clambered into the back seat on either side of Pearl. They talked over each other as they fastened their seatbelts.

"Who's ready to party?" Peeta asked as he drove away from the school.

"Me!" Came the chorus from the back.

Brendan mumbled, "Whatever."

Peeta chuckled. "We're just going to have a normal Friday night. But since Uncle Peeta's there, rules will be more like guidelines."

Brendan chuckled. "When Dad's in charge there are no rules at all. Then Mom gets mad."

Peeta laughed. "I know. That's why we'll follow a few of the rules at least."

The girls all ran up the stairs as soon as they went through the door, dropping coats and backpacks along the way. Peeta called after them, but they ignored him. Brendan bent down and picked them up, hanging them beside his on the hooks by the door.

"Thanks, kid." Peeta said as he shed his coat. "I'll throw some cookies in the oven."

"Will you play a round of Mario Kart with me?" Brendan asked.

Peeta grinned and clapped him on the shoulder. "Sure thing." He walked toward the kitchen. His phone buzzed with a text.

 **Katniss:** _When should I be there?_

 **Peeta:** _Whenever you want. I'm ordering pizza around five. But cookies are happening right now._

Peeta threw together the ingredients for peanut butter cookies and put them in the oven. He sat down to race Brendan. The boy was a great and he easily won. Peeta took the cookies out of the oven to cool and sat down for a rematch. He lost again.

"You're too good for me, Brendan." Peeta ruffled his hair and returned to the kitchen to put the cookies on a plate. "Cookies are ready!" He called loud enough for the girls to hear.

Three sets of feet rumbled down the stairs and snatched as many cookies as their little hands could clutch and then they ran away again. Peeta took one and then handed the plate to Brendan in the living room. He then headed back toward the kitchen to clean up.

He was interrupted by the doorbell ringing.

"Is that the pizza already?" Mags called down the stairs.

"I haven't even ordered." Peeta called back, opening the door.

Katniss stood on the other side. The rope was back in the center of his chest. He flexed his fingers to keep from touching her, but he couldn't stop himself. He held out his hand and she slipped hers into it. A relieved breath escaped her lips and he longed to press his to them. He swallowed and pushed that thought away.

"Hi." She said.

"Hi." He gently tugged her inside. "Come in. I was just cleaning up the kitchen. You missed out on cookies. I'm sorry."

"That's fine." Katniss pulled her hand out of his. "How are the kids?"

"Good so far." Peeta looked up the stairs. "They'll probably start arguing once I ask what they want on their pizza."

Callie stepped out onto the landing. "Is that Becca?"

"Just her mom." Katniss said with a smile. She gave Callie a little wave.

Callie walked slowly down the stairs and stood in front of Katniss. She looked up with concern in her eyes. "Why didn't you bring Becca?"

Katniss knelt down. "She went to a movie with her dad. And I'm sure she'll be mad when she finds out I saw you without her. How about I talk to your dad about all of us going to the park sometime soon?"

Callie's eyes brightened and she looked up at her dad. "You gotta say yes, Daddy!"

"Oh do I?" Peeta laughed. "How about I say we'll see and you go back up to play with Mags and Pearl?"

"That's good enough." Callie ran back up the stairs calling, "Becca's mom's here without Becca."

Katniss leaned across the bar into the kitchen and watched Peeta clean up. "Will Annie and Finnick be okay with me being here?"

"As long as no funny business happens, I think we're okay." He put the cookie sheets in the dishwasher and then chuckled. "Though I'm sure they would probably be fine with it as long as _it_ didn't happen while the kids were awake."

"Or in their bed?" She asked with a smirk.

Peeta laughed. "Yeah, I think I would be banned for life."

Katniss looked around. "So where's Nell?"

"They decided to take her along." He explained as he closed the dishwasher. "Since she's still pretty tiny, they decided not to force her upon me."

Katniss laughed and walked toward the table. "I remember never wanting to trust my girls to anyone else when they were that small." She perched herself on a kitchen chair. "Not even Gale sometimes. Or myself."

Peeta sat beside her and placed a hand on top of hers. He saw the anxiety melting form her face. "What are you thinking about?"

She looked toward the living room where Brendan was now playing Call of Duty with the volume turned up just a touch too high. Then she glanced up the stairs.

She pulled her hand from under his. "We filed the paperwork a couple days ago." She swallowed. "We're still trying to figure out the holidays. My sister is married to Gale's younger brother."

"What do you usually do?" He asked gently.

She leaned her head on her hand. "Christmas Eve at Hazelle and Bobby's house. Bobby reads the Christmas story from the Bible just before we sit down for supper. Then we all get in our jammies and drink cocoa while someone reads The Night Before Christmas aloud. Everyone takes turns." She smiled. "All the siblings take their old rooms. The grandkids sleep wherever they fall." She swiped at a tear. "Then Christmas morning is chaos."

He laughed. And then his face grew concerned. "Are you going to be with them this year? Comfortably?"

She shrugged. "I don't know."

Peeta patted her arm. "Well, we close early Christmas Eve and all day Christmas Day. If you want to spend time with us, I'm sure my family wouldn't mind."

"Thanks." Katniss said with a smile. "I'll think about it."

Brendan walked into the kitchen. "I'm starving. Is it time to order pizza yet?"

Peeta chuckled. "It can be time to order." He took out his phone and hollered up to the girls, "What kind of pizza am I ordering?"

Three sets of feet ran down the stairs. Pearl tripped over her feet and started crying. She got to her feet and climbed up onto Katniss's lap.

"You okay?" Katniss asked, looking like she felt a little awkward.

Pearl looked up and sniffed. "I hurted my knee. Will you kiss it?"

Katniss pressed her fingers to her lips and then pressed it to Pearl's knee. "Better?"

"Lots." She wrapped her arms around Katniss's neck and held tight.

Peeta wasn't surprised that Pearl went to Katniss instead of him. She always gravitated more toward mothers more than fathers, even people she didn't know well.

"I miss Mommy." Pearl cried into Katniss's shoulder.

Katniss held her awkwardly and rubbed her back. "She'll be back later."

Pearl sniffed. "Okay."

Peeta smoothed a hand down Pearl's hair. "Okay, what kind of pizza do we want?"

"Pepperoni." Callie and Mags said at the same time.

"Cheese." Pearl said softly.

Brendan opened up the fridge and took out an apple. "Just pizza. I'm so hungry." He took a bite of the fruit as he walked out of the room.

"Katniss?" Peeta asked. "You have a preference?"

"I'll eat anything." Katniss rubbed her hand over Pearl's back absentmindedly.

Peeta fought against the tightening in his pants at all the dirty thoughts that simple sentence brought up. "I'm for Hawaiian." He opened the app on his phone and ordered up four pies for delivery. He was sure the older girls could eat their own and so could Brendan. "They'll be here in about thirty minutes."

"Yay!" Callie exclaimed.

"You better call us soon as it gets here." Mags said, pulling Callie out of the room.

"You seriously like pineapple on pizza?" Katniss asked with a snort as Pearl climbed off her lap and wandered back up the stairs.

Peeta laughed. "Alex never liked it. And I can't seem to convince Cal to try."

"Gale is completely against pineapple on pizza. I've never really had much cause to try." Katniss leaned her head on her hand again.

"Well, you can have a bite of mine if you want." Peeta reached out and trailed his fingers down her arm. She trembled a little and grabbed his fingers.

"I moved in with my sister." She placed his hand on the table and brushed her thumb absently over the back of it. "Sam's been staying there with me this week."

He lifted his hand up and slipped his fingers between hers. He saw her eyes go wide with shock, but quickly went back to normal as she pulled her hand away. He pushed away his disappointment. "Becca told me when she was in the bakery with Gale."

"It's been a few days." Katniss sighed and rubbed her temple. "I'm sorry I haven't called or anything, I just…"

Peeta patted her knee. "I understand."

She moved away from his touch. "It's just that when I saw all those lives…"

His heart sank at the loss of contact. "It was very overwhelming. I drew all our lives together over the last few days."

She nodded and traced the grain of the table. He watched her in silence for a long time, resisting the urge to reach out and touch her again.

They were quiet for a long time. The TV was too loud, but the sound of the girls playing upstairs still trickled down to their ears.

After a while, Katniss stopped her tracing and placed her hand on top of Peeta's. "I—"

The doorbell rang and the herd of feet came down the stairs.

"Pizza's here!" Mags exclaimed.

Peeta patted Katniss's hand with his own before he made his way to the door. As he sat out the boxes on the counter, Katniss stood.

"I need to go." She said, skirting around the kids.

"Please don't." Peeta said softly. "We were having a great conversation."

"I was bringing everything down." She moved toward the door and lifted her coat off the hook.

He put his hand on top of hers. The electricity flowed back and forth from the spot where their skin touched. "Stay, Katniss. Keep me company. Help me keep an eye on these guys."

She blinked a few times and he could see her eyes glistened with tears. "Okay." She walked back toward the kitchen and stood in the doorway to watch the kids laughing and talking over the pizza boxes.

Peeta placed a hand on her lower back.

Katniss shook her head and moved into the room. "Is there any pizza left?" She teased as she lifted a slice of the cheese pizza out of a box.

Peeta followed and took out a slice of his Hawaiian. He talked with the kids for several minutes until they had all eaten their fill. The girls went back up to Mags and Pearl's room to play while Brendan returned to the living room and his video games.

Katniss helped put the boxes away.

Peeta held a slice of Hawaiian pizza in his mouth as he closed the box. He took a bite and held it out to Katniss. "Want a bite?"

She shook her head. "I barely know you."

He grinned. "We've been together over centuries."

She laughed and a slight blush colored her cheeks. "That's different." She took a slice out of the box and sniffed it. "It's not a horrible smell." She took a tentative bite and chewed thoughtfully. "Not awful." She took another bite and nodded. "I think I like this." She finished the slice and reached for another.

Peeta laughed. "I've created a monster."

Katniss joined in and finished the second slice. "And now I've eaten way too much." She pulled her phone out of her pocket and scrunched up her nose.

"What is it?" Peeta asked, leaning against the counter.

"Sam's having some issues." She sighed and typed her reply. She sat her phone on the counter and leaned beside Peeta. She pressed her forehead against his shoulder a moment and groaned before moving away. "I want them to be comfortable with everything, but it's so hard. Especially for Sam."

"She's nine, right?" He reached up and rubbed a bit of her hair between his fingers.

She nodded. "She'll be ten in a few months."

"It's a long time to have the same thing and then suddenly have it change." He dropped his hand. "My mom walked out when I was ten."

"Really?" She moved closer. Their arms brushed.

"Yeah." He hooked his index finger around hers. "She wasn't always kind, but she was my mother. And I took it hard for a while. I thought I'd done something wrong."

"It couldn't have been you." Katniss slipped her hand firmly into Peeta's. "You were a kid."

"I was. But it was still something I worried about." He rubbed his thumb back and forth over her hand. "How much does Sam know?"

"Everything except how long Gale kept the truth to himself. And how the dreams affected me."

He let out a little snort. "Well, I wouldn't bet she'd need to know about the dreams in too much detail."

She smiled and squeezed his hand. She looked down. "I want to tell you a secret."

"What?" He turned and rested his hip against the counter.

"Gale and I don't hold hands much." Her voice was just over a whisper. "So I really like this. It's nice."

He placed his other hand on her cheek. "I've always been a physical, touchy-feely person. If I'm doing it more than you're comfortable with, let me know and I'll back off."

She pulled his hand away from her face. "Okay. That's a bit too much."

He nodded. "Got it."

Katniss's phone beeped again and she let go of Peeta's hands to pick it up. "I need to take this." She walked into the other room and Peeta took the time to check on the girls.

They were playing well, but Peeta could see they were getting tired.

"PJ time." He announced.

All three grumbled, but went to the dresser to find their nightclothes. Peeta left them to help each other.

"I'll see you Sunday, Becca." Katniss said softly. "I love you." And then her tone shifted. "Well, she was uncomfortable, Gale. You have to understand that."

Peeta felt like he was intruding, but he continued into the room.

"No, I'm not saying that. I'm just saying—" She sighed. "I know. She's not a huge fan of Peeta either. But this is life now." She nodded and turned, shock on her face when she spotted Peeta. "She's resilient, just like her father. She'll be fine. We just need to be patient." She turned away again. "Good night, Gale. Give them both one more kiss for me, please." After another moment, she ended the call and slipped her phone back into her pocket.

"Everything okay?" Peeta asked as Katniss turned back to him.

She nodded. "Sam got a little snippy with Madge. And now she hates the world."

"It'll be okay." Peeta slipped an arm around Katniss's shoulders. "We're all still figuring this out. Sam will be okay. So will Madge and Gale." He smiled. "And you." He pressed a kiss to her temple.

Katniss nodded and moved away. "So will you."

Pearl scooted down the stairs and then hobbled to Peeta. "Uncle Peeta, I has a problem."

Peeta held back a laugh when he saw that the little girl had managed to stick both legs in the same opening of her pants. "I'll help."

Callie called from the top of the stairs, "Katniss, Becca said you always sing her to sleep."

Katniss chuckled. "Well, as much as I can."

"Do you think she'll be mad if you sing to us?" Callie asked sweetly.

"I think she'll be okay with it." Katniss held out her hand to Pearl, now with her pants on right. "Want to show me your room?"

Pearl slipped her hand into Katniss's with a huge grin. "Goodnight, Uncle Peeta."

* * *

Katniss was a little unsure, but knew she didn't want to let Callie down more than anything. They were connected now.

Callie and Mags were on opposite ends of the same bed. The bed on the other side of the room was much smaller and Pearl headed to it.

Deep in the Meadow was Becca and Sam's song, so she chose something different. It was one she'd recently heard Posy playing for Jensen. " _The stars are shining bright. And I wonder what they're seeing. Can they see me watching them?_ "

Katniss moved back and forth between the beds as she softly sang. The three girls were asleep by the time she finished the song.

She turned to see Peeta standing in the doorway. He was frozen with a look of wonder on his face.

"Wow." He said softly.

Katniss pressed a finger to her lips as she left the room, slipping her hand into Peeta's as she passed him. "I really need to get going."

"You sing like an angel." Peeta said softly.

Katniss grinned and looked away.

Lights moved past the window and stopped in the driveway.

"Looks like Annie and Finnick are home." Peeta said.

"Yeah." Katniss responded.

Peeta raised Katniss's hand to his lips and gave her knuckles a soft kiss. "Text me when you get to your sister's?"

She nodded and returned the kiss to his hand with a smile. She said nothing else as she gathered her coat and left the house.

"Hi, Katniss." Annie said kindly as they passed on the walkway.

"Hi, Annie." Katniss leaned over the carrier on Annie's arm. "Well, hello, Nell. Wide awake I see."

Annie let out a little groan. "After sleeping all day long. And now that Mommy and Daddy are tired."

Katniss laughed. "It's how it always works out."

Annie squeezed Katniss's arm. "I'm glad you're getting to spend time with him. He needs it."

Katniss nodded. "So do I." She didn't elaborate. "Have a good night." She waved at Finnick as she climbed into her car.

Prim was still awake when Katniss walked in the house, but barely. "Did you have a good time?" Prim asked.

Katniss sat on the other end of the couch and rested her head on her sister's lap. "I feel awful, Prim."

"You don't have a fever." Prim said as she pressed her hands to Katniss's forehead.

"Not that kind of awful." Katniss turned her head slightly and spoke to her sister's stomach. "Stay in there, kid. The world sucks."

Prim smoothed her hand over Katniss's hair. "Is this about Peeta or Gale?"

"It's about everything. I'm a failure." She sat up. "Sam is still so upset about it all. And I feel like I'm not doing enough."

"Do you remember our first night in the Hawthornes' house?" Prim moved closer and wrapped an arm around Katniss's shoulders. "I was so sad and scared. But you said that the Hawthornes loved us and cared about our well-being. That we would be okay because we had each other. And then you let me sleep with you every night even though the bed was so tiny." She gave her older sister a squeeze. "You knew what to do then. You'll know what to do now."

"I guess so." Katniss sighed.

Prim kissed her temple. "I should go to bed so I can get to sleep before my husband starts snoring." She stood and stretched. "I seem to remember about the time you got tired of sharing a bed with me that Gale's wasn't a problem."

Katniss laughed. "Gale's bed was bigger."

"Sure." Prim shook her head as she walked away.

Katniss turned out the lamp before making her way to the guest room. She could already hear Rory's soft snores. "Poor Prim." She said to herself as she changed and climbed into her bed.

She pulled out her phone and sent Peeta a quick text. _I made it back. About to pass out. Talk to you tomorrow._

She barely registered the tone that meant he had replied. She'd read it in the morning.


	18. Chapter 18

_Author's note: Welcome to another chapter featuring Gale and Madge. It's an important chapter and I am interested to see your thoughts._

 _A giant thank you to my beta JavisTG! Go check her out!_

 _Happy reading!_

Chapter Eighteen

Sam dragged her feet as they made their way to the window to buy tickets. Gale draped his arm over her shoulder and kissed the top of her head.

"You okay?" Gale asked.

Sam shrugged. "Why do we have to do this?"

"Because we wanted to have a little fun together." Gale said. "Aren't you having fun?"

"The pizza was good." Sam said reluctantly.

Becca jabbered on ahead of them. She'd slipped her hand into Madge's as soon as they got out of the car.

"I don't like the way you look at Madge." Sam admitted softly.

"I'm sorry. I'll try not to look at her." Gale paused and held Sam back. "Look, I know it's rough for you, Sami, but I'm going to do what I can to make us all happy. Okay?"

"That means you too?" Sam challenged.

"Yes, it means me." Gale said softly. He bent over and looked her in the eyes. "But that mostly means you. I'm keeping my distance from her as best I can for your sake, baby. I want you comfortable."

"Becca's comfortable enough for both of us." Sam pointed to where Madge was teaching Becca some sort of hand clapping game.

Gale pulled Sam to the front of the theater. "I thought you liked Madge."

"Things change." Sam didn't say anything else. She nodded in agreement when Becca picked a movie.

Madge paid for their tickets and passed them out.

Becca looked at hers a moment and then lifted it up toward Gale. "You better hold onto it, Daddy."

Gale grinned and took the bit of paper from her and slipped it into his pocket. "You got yours, Sam?"

After a moment of consideration, she handed it over.

Gale winked. "You're a smart kid."

"I take after my dad." Sam said, smiling a little.

"Okay, I got snacks." Gale said as they stepped toward concessions.

"Can I have candy?" Becca asked.

"You don't want popcorn?" Gale asked.

"I want both!" Becca announced.

"You ate half of a pizza by yourself." Madge teased. "You got a hollow leg or something?"

Becca giggled. "No, both my legs are full of bones." She slipped her hand into Madge's. "I want candy _and_ popcorn."

"You will have both." Gale assured her. "What about you, Sami?"

"I'm so stuffed, I don't think I can even eat candy." Sam said, rubbing her belly.

Gale chuckled and nodded. "Soda?"

"I could always drink more soda." Sam said, stepping a little closer to her father.

Gale took Sam's hand and turned to Madge. "What about you?"

Madge shrugged. "I ate too much pizza, too. Just a coke for me."

They stepped forward and Gale pointed to the candy. "Which one, Becs?"

"Sour Patch Kids." Becca read slowly. "That's the candy I want." She looked up at Gale. "Please, Daddy?"

"How can I say no to that?" Gale chuckled and asked Sam, "Sure you don't want some candy? M&Ms?"

Sam's mouth curved up into a smile. "The peanut kind?"

"Whatever you want." Gale told the young man behind the counter.

"I changed my mind." Madge said as she placed her hand on Gale's sleeve. "Can I have some Twizzlers?"

"Sure." Gale smiled and finished out the transaction. His hands were full as they walked toward he person taking tickets.

Without any hesitation, Madge reached into his pocket to get the tickets he'd stuffed in there earlier. She caught Sam's glare as she passed them over with a contrite look.

"Sorry." She murmured, following the girls into the theater.

"Don't worry about it." Gale murmured, swallowing back any other comment he could have made.

"I want to sit my Madge and Daddy." Becca announced as they scooted into a row of chairs near the center.

Sam took a seat first and Gale sat beside her.

"Then you get to sit here by me." Gale said, pressing a quick kiss to her temple.

Sam crossed her arms and slumped down.

"Here, eat your M&Ms." Gale passed the box over.

"I don't want them anymore." Sam huffed.

"Sami, baby, please—"

"Leave me alone, Dad." Sam snatched the box from Gale's hand. "Talk the daughter that obviously doesn't care." She tore open the box and started to angrily eat the candy as the rest of the theater started filling up.

On the other side of Gale, Madge was busy showing Becca to bite the ends off a Twizzler, to make a straw. Becca was very impressed by that fact and finished off her entire drink in just a couple minutes.

"Can I have more coke?" Becca asked.

"Sure. Let's go." Madge stood and held out her hand. "We'll be right back."

Gale waited for them to go and then leaned toward Sam. "You wanna talk?"

"No." Sam said shortly.

Gale nodded. "Can I talk?"

"Whatever."

"I love you, Sami. I want you to know that. I'm never going to stop because you're my daughter. My first daughter. You made me a dad. And I never want to hurt you."

She said nothing in response.

He sighed and continued on. "Just try to have fun, Sami. That's all I want. When the movie's over, we'll go home."

Sam mumbled something and hunkered down for the duration of the movie. She didn't seem to be enjoying herself and it worried Gale. She still held his hand for a few minutes near the end.

The lights slowly came up after the movie was over. Madge and Becca talked animatedly about what they'd just seen. At least Becca enjoyed herself.

"Can we get ice cream, Daddy?" Becca asked when they were outside the building.

"I can't eat anything else." Gale said.

"But I could!" Becca said. "Please?"

"How about another time?" Madge suggested, swinging their hands back and forth.

Sam put her hand on the truck's door handle. "I'm ready to go home."

Gale nodded. "I know, Sami." He pressed the button to unlock the door and walked around to the other side.

Becca continued to babble on the ride home. Madge leaned over toward Gale and poked his hand. A buzz ran through his body. He turned his hand over and wrapped it around hers briefly before pulling away.

At the house, Madge followed the others inside.

"You can go now." Sam mumbled as she made her way up the stairs.

Gale saw Madge's face fall. "I guess I should be going. I had fun tonight."

"You need to apologize, Sam." Gale called up the stairs.

"Why?" Sam asked at the top of the stairs. "She's been around all night and I'm tired of looking at her face."

"Hey, Samantha, you watch it." Gale warned.

"It's fine, Gale." Madge reached out and touched his arm just above the wrist. "It is kind of late and you have to get them to bed."

"You get your butt down here and apologize, Samantha." Gale demanded.

Madge slipped her hand down into Gale's. That really got his attention. And it got Sam's too.

She yelled, "Why don't you just kiss her already?" And then she stomped into her room and slammed the door.

Gale heaved a sigh. "I'm sorry, Madge."

"Gale, you have nothing to apologize for. She's upset and I understand." She squeezed his hand. "I'll call you later." She patted Becca's shoulder as she headed out of the house.

"It's late, Becs." Gale said as he placed a hand on her head. "Go get changed into your PJs and we'll call Mom."

Becca nodded and walked up the stairs.

Gale hurried out of the house and called to Madge. When she paused, he moved closer and slipped his hand into hers. "I'm sorry about Sam."

"It's fine. You know it is." She squeezed his fingers and let go. "I think she just needs some time."

"I don't know if time will do anything for her." He felt the strain in his voice.

She reached up and wiped at an escaping tear. "She's feeling this a lot more than any of us. You and Katniss are her world." She stepped around to the driver's side of her car. "I'll talk to you later. Go try to patch things up in there."

Gale went back inside and made his way up to Sam's room. "Can I come in?"

"I'm getting ready for bed." Sam called back.

Gale opened the door anyway and found Sam lying on her bed with her face in the pillow. He sat down on the side of the mattress. "I know you're mad, but the way you talked to Madge is out of line."

Sam turned her head. "I hate you."

Gale nodded. "I know. And you can hate me all you want. I'm your dad, I won't always be your favorite person. But anyone outside this family deserves respect."

"I don't care." She pressed her face in the pillow again. "You're such a jerk."

Gale opened his mouth to say something, but Becca jumped into the doorway. "I'm ready to call Mom." She announced.

Gale took out his phone and handed it over to Becca after finding Katniss's number. "Just push that button."

Becca skipped off toward her room with the phone and settled into bed. "Hi, Mommy!"

Gale walked out and leaned back against the wall between the rooms. He listened to Becca's soft chatter, recounting their evening. Her voice got softer and softer.

"Okay. Goodnight, Mommy. I love you." Becca said.

Gale walked into the room and took the phone from Becca. She yawned hugely, but continued to keep her eyes open. He smiled and walked into the hall. "Sami, you wanna talk to Mom?"

"Leave me alone." Sam said.

Gale sighed and pressed the phone to his ear. "Sorry, Sam's not happy right now." He walked out of the room. "She snapped at Madge."

"Well, I'm sure she was probably uncomfortable, Gale. You have to understand that." Katniss said.

"So we just let her be disrespectful to all of us?" Gale asked, walking down the stairs.

"No, I'm not saying that. I'm just saying—"

"That Sam gets to be angry at all of us forever and get away with it."

She sighed. "I know. She's not a huge fan of Peeta either. But this is life now."

"It is." Gale sat down on the couch. "I'm just so ready for it all to settle down. Becca had a good time. Madge did. I tried to, but I was so worried about Sam that I really didn't as much."

"Sam's resilient, just like her father. She'll be fine. We just need to be patient."

"You know that patient isn't in my vocabulary. But Madge did say to give her some time, too." He sighed. "I'll let you go. Good night, Katniss."

"Good night, Gale. Give them both one more kiss for me, please."

"I will." He hung up the phone and made his way back up to the girls' rooms.

Becca was on her side crying softly.

"Hey, baby, what's wrong?" He asked as he sat beside her.

"I didn't ask Mommy for the song. She always sings me the song." She wailed.

Gale leaned down. "You want me to sing it for you?"

"It won't be the same." Becca sniffed.

"It might not be. But I really like the song." He smoothed his hand over her hair. "And you let me suing it the other day."

"I know." She wiped her nose.

He swiped his thumb under her eyes and started singing softly. He knew his voice wasn't anywhere near as strong as Katniss's, but it seemed like enough to lull Becca to sleep. He kissed her cheek. Then he whispered, "And this one's from your mom." Pressing one more kiss to her forehead, he stood and turned out her lamp.

Sam was still dressed all the way to her shoes, but Gale figured she was asleep. He removed her tennis shoes as gently as possible and pulled a blanket out of her chair up over her shoulders. He kissed her twice and murmured, "I love you, Sam."

"I'm sorry I said mean things to Madge." She turned her head and looked up at him. "And to you."

"It's fine. You can tell Madge when you see her." He patted her back. "Get some sleep."

"I love you, Dad." She pulled the blanket up over her shoulders. "Good night."

"Sleep well, kiddo." He turned out her light.

He stood in the doorway to the master bedroom and looked around. So many memories in this house. It was going to be so hard to leave it.


	19. Chapter 19

_Author's note: Thanks so much for reading. It's now Christmas in this little slice of Panem. There's some stuff in this chapter I'm really interested to get your thoughts on._

 _Many thanks to my beta JavisTG!_

 _Happy reading!_

Chapter Nineteen

Katniss pressed her nose into Becca's hair and whispered, "Make sure you get to sleep early so that Santa can come."

"But, Mama, what about for you?" Becca pulled back. Her eyes were full of concern. "Will Santa come see you? Does he know where you are?"

"He knows." Katniss assured her. "And he also knows you'll be here with me tomorrow night, so there will be a few presents from him here." Katniss kissed Becca's cheek and then sat her down on the floor.

Sam wiped at her eyes and shuffled her feet.

"You don't have to hug me if you don't want." Katniss assured Sam.

"What if I hug you and I don't want to let go?" Sam's voice was thick. She looked up at her mother. "It's Christmas, Mama."

Katniss smoothed a hand over Sam's hair. "I know, baby. And we'll get used to it. This'll be how it is from now on."

"But can't we just have one more Christmas all together?"

Katniss gently grabbed her face and kissed her forehead. "We're going to do a lot of things apart. And this has to be one."

Sam swallowed and wrapped her arms around Katniss's waist, pressing her eyes hard into her mother's chest.

"I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" Katniss kissed the top of Sam's head and then let go. "Get in your dad's truck. I want to talk to him a minute."

The girls slowly made their way across the yard. Katniss and Gale watched them until they were out of earshot.

Gale turned, "So around ten?"

"If that's okay? I can wait a bit more if I need to. I know the morning sometimes drags on."

He shook his head. "I'm getting Christmas Eve, you should have as much of Christmas Day as you can." He smiled. "I can even text you when they open the last gift. You can show up five minutes later and sweep them away."

She shook her head. "I appreciate that, but I think ten is definitely a safe bet."

"I know it's probably going to be hard without the girls tonight, but I'm glad you'll be with Peeta's family for a little while to distract you." He squeezed her arm. "Merry Christmas, Catnip."

"Merry Christmas, Gale." She waved toward the truck. "Bye, girls. I love you."

She watched them leave and then went back into the house. She looked at the clock and calculated that she only had sixteen hours until they were back with her.

Prim kissed Katniss's cheek as she passed. "Make sure to call if you need anything tonight. We can come right back." She put a few things in her purse and then zipped it closed. She leaned close and whispered, "Or if you stay with Peeta, let me know."

"I'm not planning on doing that." Katniss whispered quickly, looking over her shoulder trying to figure out where Rory was.

"Not saying that you're gonna do the do, but if it's late or starts snowing or something." Prim kissed Katniss's cheek again. "Just be safe. I love you."

"Love you, too." Katniss followed Prim and Rory to the door.

"Oh," Prim turned, "I left you presents on your bed. Merry Christmas, sis." She winked and closed the door behind her.

Katniss walked to her room and saw two packages sitting on her bed. The bigger of the two had a note that said, " _Open me first._ "

It was heavy. She unwrapped it eagerly and then let out a loud boisterous laugh as the picture of a vibrator took shape.

A card was taped to the top that read, " _In case you get lonely here tonight. ;)_ "

The smaller package said, " _Open me second._ "

She took a little more care opening this one, not ready for what she was about to find.

It was condoms.

The note attached to this one said, " _For when things with Peeta move along. ;)_ "

Katniss shook her head and sent her sister a text. _Thanks for reminding me that I'm in serious need of an orgasm._

Prim sent back several laughing faces with tears. _You just need to be distracted._

 **Katniss:** _Sure. Whatever you say._

 **Prim:** _Just don't dwell, Sister. I know how you get when you do. I love you. And I mostly wanted you to have a good laugh._

Katniss looked at the two boxes lying on her bed. She was glad her sister hadn't given her anything too serious. She wouldn't have been able to stand that. _Thanks, Prim. I did laugh. But purple really isn't my color._

 **Prim:** _Well, for some reason, vibrators are hard to find in forest green. Lol_

Katniss put both into the bottom of her drawer underneath enough things that, hopefully, neither of her girls would be able to find them.

After that, she gathered the gifts for Peeta's family. She'd asked Peeta what she should bring for them and he assured her that she didn't need to buy anything. But she felt bad at the thought of arriving empty-handed. She'd settled on gift cards all around, except for Callie and Peeta. She'd give them their gifts in as private a way as possible.

Katniss was barely inside the door when Callie attacked her around the waist.

"You're here!" Callie exclaimed.

Katniss laughed and shifted everything to one hand so she could pat the girl on the back. "I am. Merry Christmas, Callie."

"Merry Christmas!" Callie exclaimed as she stepped back.

Peeta walked over with a sympathetic look and held out his hand. "Want me to take those?"

"Sure." Katniss handed over the bag of gifts and carried a bowl of cauliflower salad to the table. It was already full of other dishes.

"Ooh, what's that?" Delly asked as she came in the room with a stack of plates.

"Cauliflower salad." Katniss lifted the lid.

"Looks so good!" Delly gushed. "I love to try new things."

Peeta stepped over and placed a hand on Katniss's arm. Electricity flowed and she felt relief. "Want to come over to the bakery with me to get the pies?"

Katniss smiled up at Peeta. "Sure."

She followed him outside. As soon as the door closed, he slipped his hand into hers. "How are you holding up?" His voice was soft.

"Well, it's only been a half hour." She squeezed his fingers. "So far, so good." She could hear the tremble.

He stopped walking and turned to face her. Placing a soft hand against her cheek, he gave her a comforting smile. "I'll do whatever you need me to do to help you make it through this. I know it's the first time, so this will be the hardest. But I'm here. Whatever you need."

"I need you to stop touching my face like that." She said softly. "I can't think when you touch me like that."

Peeta dropped his hand.

Katniss clasped both of his in hers. "Listen, I appreciate all you're doing. I'm just glad there's room for me here with your family so I don't have to be alone. Prim tells me all the time that I don't take the help offered to me enough, so I'm trying something new here."

"We're glad to have you." He kissed her knuckles and then turned to the bakery. "Callie picked out a present for you. She's really proud of it."

"I'm sure I'll love it." Katniss said with a little chuckle. "I got her some doll clothes. She does have dolls, right?"

"Oh, yeah. Lots. Too many." Peeta opened the back door to the bakery and swept his hand to ask her to enter in front of him. "I got you something, too, but I'd rather not give it to you in front of my family. So I brought it over here when I started the pies." He steered her toward the break room's open door. From a locker, Peeta pulled out a wrapped package about the size of his hand. "I hope you like it."

She took the gift and unwrapped it slowly, memories of her sisters presents coming to mind. It was a painting. A pair of flapper girls dancing the Charleston. A quick, familiar jazz tune filled her mind.

"Is this us?" She asked softly.

"Yes." He moved closer and pointed to the taller of the pair. She had curly red hair. "That one's you."

She looked up. "Are you sure?" She asked with a smile. The music in her mind receded.

He gestured to the dark hair. "Extremely straight, jet black hair. It's something I seem to remember my mother never liked." He sighed. "I wonder if that mother had the same soul as my mother in this life."

"Wouldn't that be interesting?" She looked back down at the picture. "She didn't like me much, did she?"

"Didn't like her only daughter taking on a female lover." Peeta said softly.

Katniss sighed. "I feel like I missed you."

"I feel it too." He stepped closer and tentatively touched her hands. She didn't move away and he slid his fingers up over her wrists. "Katniss?"

She nodded and met him the rest of the way for a soft brush of lips. The music crashed in her ears again and she wasn't Katniss anymore. For a moment she was Ruth Aaron. She was sixteen and sneaking out to speakeasies with her friends.

The lips pressed against hers were soft and familiar. She'd kissed these lips in secret for over a year. They'd spoken of running away with Ruth and living somewhere that they could love each other and not have to hide everything.

Katniss pulled away, whispering, "Helen."

Peeta smiled. "Not for about ninety years." His phone made a noise in his pocket. "We should get the pies over there before they think something's up." He walked around her and reached for the light switch.

"I got you something, too." She followed him into the kitchen. She slipped the painting into her pocket just before Peeta handed her a pie to carry. "I don't want your family to be jealous that I got you and Callie actual gifts. I just got everyone else gift cards. And candy for the kids."

"They won't be jealous." He nodded toward the back door. "I told my brothers and sisters-in-law what was going on. I asked them to keep it to themselves for a while. I hope that's okay?"

Katniss stepped out the door and waited for Peeta to lock the door. "I don't mind. Gale told the rest of his family. I just have Prim."

"One day I'd like to know more about your family."

"One day I'll tell you." She stepped into the house and brought the pies to the table Cara pointed to.

After supper, they settled in for presents. Katniss passed hers out quickly so that they could all enjoy the other gifts. Callie was very excited about her doll clothes and tried to run up to get one of her babies to start dressing it, but Peeta convinced her to wait. For Peeta, she'd bought him a sketchbook and some colored pencils.

"Thank you." Peeta said softly as he looked them over. "You didn't have to."

"I wanted to." Katniss gave him a smile.

The jazz was back as she looked into his eyes. The urge to kiss him returned. She forced her eyes away.

Callie put a box on her lap. "I picked this out all by myself." She said proudly.

Katniss tore into the paper with exaggerated excitement. Inside was a box of paper targets.

"Becca says you like to shoot your bow. Daddy helpeded me find them. But I picked those ones."

Callie was so very proud of herself. And Katniss was happy to have them. They weren't exactly what she used, but she could make them work. "Thank you, Callie."

"You're welcome!" Callie gave Katniss a quick hug before taking the gift her grandfather was holding out for her.

"Are those the right kind?" Peeta asked softly. "We didn't know, so I just told her to pick some."

"I can use them." Katniss assured him. Their hands brushed and Katniss felt her cheeks growing warm.

Katniss started feeling a little left out. She missed the Hawthorne madness that she was used to. And the traditions and family jokes were lost on her.

Something must have shown on her face because Peeta slipped his hand into hers and squeezed gently. He leaned in and asked softly in her ear, "You need some time alone?"

Katniss shook her head. "I'm fine."

He squeezed her hand again and then let go.

Overall, it was actually an enjoyable evening. Katniss was glad that Graham's branch of the family was the only one unfamiliar to her. But they were still so very accommodating.

The rest of the family left as they younger kids began to yawn and fight sleep. Callie curled up on Peeta's lap as her cousins were ushered out the front door. Katniss looked at the image beside her and was reluctant to leave. They would all be going home to full houses with the prospect of kids waking them early to see if Santa had arrived.

But she knew that it wasn't a forever situation for her. It was just this one night. Next Christmas would be hers, they had decided. She could make it if she just reminded herself of that.

Peeta stood with Callie and Katniss followed. She pointed her thumb toward the door. "I should head out."

"Don't run yet, Ruthie." He requested with a tired smile. "I'll put her down and then walk you out to your car."

She watched him walk up the stairs.

Cara stepped out of the kitchen drying her hands. "I'm so glad you were able to join us, Katniss."

Turning, Katniss gave the older woman a smile. "Thanks for having me."

"I know you must be missing your girls, but Callie was definitely excited to have you here."

Katniss nodded. "She's something, isn't she?"

Cara laughed and nodded. "Something. Definitely."

Conrad and Peeta both came down the stairs holding big boxes. Conrad sat his down first and started pulling out the parts for a small dollhouse. "This should be a fun night."

"I'll be in to help you in a bit, Dad." Peeta said as he sat the box down.

"Take your time." Conrad said. He looked up. "But not too much. You're the one who bought this thing."

"Sorry." Peeta gave his father a contrite look. He helped Katniss gather her things and followed her out to her SUV. "I feel so bad watching you go." He handed over the things he carried for her to place in the back floorboard.

"I'll be fine." She assured him.

"It's not that." He brushed a piece of hair off her shoulder and ran his hand down her arm. "I thought about asking you to stay. It wouldn't be right, though. But selfishly…" He heaved a sigh. "I want to see your face in the morning."

She tangled her fingers in his. "Maybe one of these days." She leaned in and kissed his cheek. "Better get a wiggle on."

Peeta laughed. "Text me when you get to your sister's? Like inside with the door locked and stuff?"

"Sure." Katniss moved to the driver's door and took hold of the handle. "My least favorite part is when I leave you and the line snaps."

He rubbed a spot in the center of his chest. "Mine too."

She turned and climbed into the SUV, trying not to look at him. If she did, she knew she would fall into his arms and never leave them.


	20. Chapter 20

_Author's note: I started a new fic for the Shadowhunter Chronicles, so I'm going to be alternating writing for these two. Things may slow down here a bit. I'm determined to finish this, though. And I even sat down and planned out the last chapters. It's going to start getting steamy!_

 _I have listened to some concerns and cleared things up with Katniss and Gale. Let me know what you think._

 _Many thanks to my beta JavisTG! You have been so helpful and supportive!_

 _Shoutout to my bestie writingbutunpublished for helping me pull in my wild thoughts that I get sometimes. ("Dani, I think you have enough drama. Slow your roll." Is a phrase I've heard a time or two. lol)_

 _Happy reading, folks!_

Chapter Twenty

It was snowing lightly as Katniss drove. She was anxious to see her girls, but she made sure to take care. Vick was loading a matching set of dollhouses into the back of his truck when Katniss pulled in behind him. Katniss could see the bikes he'd already put in.

"Spoiled again, huh?" She asked as she walked over and gave Vick a hand.

"Just wait 'til you see what your two got." He chuckled. He finished putting the dollhouse in and turned to look at her. "We missed you around here."

She nodded. "Yeah." She said nothing else as she helped him get the other dollhouse in.

As she was walking up to the house, Becca opened the door. "Mommy!" She screamed and threw herself at Katniss.

"Oh, Becca, I missed you so much." Katniss picked Becca up and carried her through the door. "You have to show me what all you got."

"So many things, Mama. But I could use a few more." She looked up expectantly. "Daddy said you talked to Santa and maybe he left some things at Aunt Prim's."

Katniss laughed and kissed her cheek. "There were a few things under Aunt Prim and Uncle Rory's tree. We'll just have to see." She sat Becca down and pulled Sam into a tight hug. "Hi, Sam-Sam."

"Hi, Mama." Sam sighed, wrapping her arms around Katniss's waist.

They were silent for several breaths before a hand fell on Katniss's shoulder. She looked over to see Hazelle holding out a package for her.

"You don't have to do that." Katniss said.

"Of course we do." Hazelle pressed it into her hands. "You're always going to be part of this family, Katniss."

"Thanks." Katniss swallowed the tears down.

Prim waved from across the room and pointed to a small pile of wrapped gifts.

"We didn't want to leave you out." Hazelle explained.

Katniss swallowed down her tears as she sat own and opened up all the presents with Sam and Becca pressed to her sides. Gale sat on the opposite side of the room. He looked anxious.

When all the gifts were finally opened, everyone started to disperse. Gale helped Sam and Becca load their things, bringing half of them to his truck and other to Katniss's SUV.

Posy sidled up to Katniss as she picked up her gifts. "How's it going?" Posy asked.

"Fine." Katniss said softly. "Why?"

"It's just…" Posy leaned in. "You were here at Thanksgiving and everything was fine."

"Everything is still fine, Posy." Katniss assured her.

Posy nodded. "Okay."

"Are you okay?" Katniss asked softly. Even though they were only related through her marriage to Gale, Posy had always been like a sister to Katniss.

"I'll call you in a few days." Posy said. "It's Christmas. I don't want to bring you down."

"If Dom's giving you a hard time, show him that video of me shooting three arrows at a target at once."

"He just claims he wants to be part of Jensen's life and I want him to…" Posy sighed. "I'll call you in a few days."

Katniss pulled Posy into a tight hug. "I'm here for you, Posy."

"Thanks, Katniss." Posy kissed Katniss's cheek and stepped away.

"Can I talk to you a minute?" Gale asked from behind Katniss.

With a nod, Katniss followed Gale out of the house toward his truck. She leaned against the side and stuffed her hands in her pockets.

Gale mirrored her pose. "How was Peeta's?"

"It was fun." She said, looking toward where the girls ran around hurling handfuls of snow at each other. "Except for missing them."

"Well, you have them for the next week, so I'll be able to feel your pain."

She bumped her shoulder against his. "We'll figure this out. All four of us." She looked up. "I had a lot of time to think and I…" She looked back down. "It's not fair to us or the girls to have to do things like this. There's not much room for talking about more serious things when our kids could run in. If they're not already within earshot."

"What are you saying, Katniss?"

"I'm not saying that a physical relationship should be okay. But I do want to be able to spend time with Peeta without a chaperone." She looked up. "And you deserve that with Madge. I know I was angry, but she's been waiting for you for five years. She should get to know the Gale I know."

"Thanks. I'm sorry I suggested it in the first place." He took his hand out of his pocket and held it out.

Katniss slipped her hand into Gale's and laughed. "You've never liked holding my hand."

"It feels weird." He squeezed her fingers and let go. "I love you, Catnip."

"I know, Gale. That's making this a lot easier than it could be." She looked up. "Did you want to talk about something?"

"Just that Madge's dad is in town for the holiday and she asked me to join them for lunch today so she could tell him." He worked the muscle in his jaw as he looked at her expectantly.

She nodded. "Good. I think it's important."

Sam sidled up to Katniss. She smiled up at her mother sweetly. And then smashed a handful of snow in Katniss's face.

Katniss let out a surprised squeak. Then she leaned over and scooped up a handful and dropped it on Sam's head. "You're rotten!"

"Come get me, Mama!" Becca called from across the yard.

Katniss laughed and scooped up more snow. She stalked slowly toward her younger daughter until she was just a few steps away and then she reached up her hand to throw. But she was stopped in her tracks by a glob of cold down her back.

Katniss turned to see Gale smiling down at her as he brushed extra snow off his hands. "Great hunter, but terrible paying attention to what's behind you." He quipped.

"That was one time." Katniss said with a chuckle.

Gale shrugged. "At least _I_ got that deer that was trying to steal your lunch."

Katniss hurled herself at Gale and knocked him onto his back. In the same motion, she picked up and handful of snow and smashed it in his face. "You shut your mouth, Hawthorne. I got two more deer than you that season." She pushed herself up and laughed as Sam and Becca piled on him followed by the rest of the kids.

"Someone save me!" Gale called, still laughing.

Vick walked over and pulled his kids away, laughing. "Go give your grandparents a goodbye hug and then get in the car." He held out his hand to Gale. "You'd think they wouldn't still have this much energy, those little rascals."

Gale laughed. "If they are anything like mine, they are even more active when they're tired because they're fighting off the crash."

Katniss sent Sam and Becca in to say their goodbyes. Vick wandered away to wrangle his kids.

"I hope the mayor isn't as much of a hard-ass as I remember him being." Katniss said softly.

Gale laughed. "I never had much cause to interact with him before."

"Madge and I had a project together in middle school." Katniss recalled. "He was…stern." She laughed.

"Well, I guess I'll find out." He looked toward the house as their daughters came out.

"I'll make sure they call before bed." Katniss promised.

"Thanks." His voice sounded clipped.

She squeezed his arm. "They can come to work for the rest of their break." She offered. "Time for them to learn the family business anyway."

Gale gave a short laugh. "Yeah, it probably is."

Becca stopped in front of Gale and looked up. "I'll miss you, Daddy."

He picked her up and pressed a kiss to her temple. "I'll miss you, Becs." He kissed her again and then sat her down. "I love you." He held out his arms for Sam and she jumped up into them.

She cried softly into his neck. "I love you, Daddy."

"I love you, Sami." He murmured. "So much, baby."

"Can we call you tonight?" Sam sobbed.

"You can call me any time. I'll answer." He kissed her cheek and then sat her down. "You're going to come to work with Mom next week, okay? And you can hang out in my shop and help me as much as you want."

"Okay." Sam sniffed and then ran to the SUV.

Gale leaned down and pressed a kiss to Becca's forehead. "See you later, kiddo."

"Bye, Daddy." Becca slipped her hand into Katniss's as they headed toward her car.

* * *

Becca's eyes went huge when she saw the bikes sitting in front of the house with bows on them. Katniss sat them out before she left. With new locks to match, of course.

"Are those ours?" She asked in wonder, her face pressed to the window.

"Yeah, Santa left them out there." Katniss said with a grin. "There are a few things in the house, too. Most of them are from me, though." She put the SUV in park and watched as both girls clambered out of the car to examine the bikes.

Katniss followed at a much slower pace. Becca was loudly exclaiming over the smaller of the two bikes, even pointing out the bright pink training wheels that matched the color of the frame.

Sam was much quieter in her assessment of her new toy. It was black and poison green. The lock was the same green. Both had a bell and a light on the front.

"How do we get the locks off?" Becca asked.

"Maybe the combinations are in your stockings." Katniss suggested as she walked toward the door.

Becca quickly followed and jumped from one foot to the other as she waited for Katniss to fit the key into the lock. Katniss had almost forgotten to plug in the lights on the tree before she left. But they were blinking away as she opened the door and waved the girls in.

Sitting in the corner was a doll with a bow on it. Beside it was a skateboard.

"You didn't!" Sam exclaimed as she ran forward and picked up the skateboard, the same black and green as the bike.

Katniss gave a shrug.

Becca was busy gushing over the new baby. "Oh, she's so sweet! Look at her little face! Oh, Mama, isn't she so pretty?"

"She's beautiful." Katniss pointed at the stockings on the couch. They were pretty plain. Both had one full-size candy bar (each of the girl's favorites), small lotions and chap sticks, perfumes, nail polish, and, at the bottom, a little tag with a combination to each of their bike locks.

The rest of the presents were mostly practical things. Shirts and socks. Some accessories. They both got a couple more small toys, but she'd decided not to add too much to their collections with so much still in the air with their living situation.

"Can we go ride our bikes?" Becca asked as soon as the last present was opened.

Katniss laughed. "Sure. For a little while." She walked out with them, holding onto the tag that held the combination for Becca's lock.

Sam unlocked hers and then headed out onto the road.

"Be careful, Sam-Sam." Katniss called as she helped guide Becca's away from the front steps.

"Okay." Sam called as she rode to the stop sign. She turned around and headed toward the other intersection.

"Will you keep your hand on me?" Becca asked anxiously.

"Of course, Becca." Katniss kept her hand on the back of the seat as Becca pedaled.

The girls rode for nearly a half hour before their lack of sleep caught up to them. They parked their bikes, making sure to lock them back up.

Rory and Prim returned just as Katniss passed her girls each a cup of cocoa.

"Sweet bikes." Rory said as he walked in.

"Thanks." Becca said happily. And then she yawned.

Katniss pulled Becca close. "Drink your hot cocoa and then we'll take a nap."

"I'm not tired." Becca said around another yawn.

Prim chuckled. "You were up until three and then woke up at six for presents."

"It's the same every year." Katniss kissed Becca's temple. "Christmas is just too exciting to rest, huh?"

The cup in Becca's hand started drooping and Katniss swiped it up before it fell to the floor and made a mess. Prim took both Becca's and Katniss's cups from her sister. Katniss stood, scooping Becca up into her arms. She carried Becca down the hall to the third room that was set up with air mattresses for the girls.

Sam walked in and stretched out on the other bed as Katniss got Becca settled. "I just need a small nap, Mom." Sam said around a yawn.

"I'll make sure to wake you for supper after while." Katniss kissed them both. "Merry Christmas, girls. I love you so much."

She turned out the light.

Rory and Prim sat curled up together on the couch. Prim smiled encouragingly. "They sleeping?"

Katniss nodded. She started picking up the last of the wrapping paper.

Rory mumbled something about unloading the car and went outside.

Prim patted the cushion beside her. "Wanna talk?"

Katniss sat beside Prim. "I didn't sleep well last night. It's been a long time since I slept in an empty house."

"Well, we're all here now." Prim gave her a comforting look. "Not that I'm asking you to get out, but do you know anything about apartments or houses?"

"We're waiting for the house sale to be final." Katniss rested her head on her sister's shoulder. "I've seen a couple places that might work. There's even one a block over from here."

The door opened and Rory came in with his arms loaded down. "Don't mind me, just bringing stings through. La-la-la. Sister conversation is none of my business." He continued on down the hall.

Katniss chuckled. "Your husband is a nerd."

"Well, it's a Hawthorne trait. Your kids are just as bad."

"Not a horrible thing." Katniss sat back. "This all just feels so weird."

"What all?" Prim asked.

Rory came back through humming again.

Katniss waited until the door was closed behind him before she spoke. "I've never really been me, Prim. I took care of myself and you from so small because of Mom. And then they…" She swallowed. "When I turned eighteen, it was me and you and Gale. And then Sam came along and you moved out. And… It's almost always been someone else I had to consider. And last night, after I was back here, it was just me. I was so lost."

"You know, I bet Gale's going through it too. He'll understand it more than anyone else." Prim said. "But I do get it. And you can stay here until you're ready to move on. We have plenty of room. You don't have to be alone long-term until you feel comfortable."

"Thanks, Prim." Katniss hugged her. "But I do need to get out of your hair within the next month. I don't want to overstay my welcome."

Katniss's phone went off on the coffee table. She reached for it and felt a wave of comfort when she saw Peeta's name on the screen.

 **Peeta:** _Merry Christmas! When you get a chance, can we talk?_

Katniss glanced at her sister before she typed her reply. _How about I call you tonight?_

 **Peeta:** _Sounds good._

Katniss sat her phone back on the coffee table with a sigh.

"What is it?" Prim asked.

Rory came back in, singing his off-key song again. Katniss noticed most of the things that he brought in were baby related.

"They always go all out long before the kids are even born." Katniss said, turning back to Prim. "They spoil them all so much."

Prim smiled and rubbed her stomach absently. "They do." She chewed her lip. "But I was wondering… Do you still have that cradle that Dad made?"

"Of course." Katniss patted Prim's knee. "It's in the closet in Becca's room. She plays with it sometimes. I'll have Gale bring it over when he comes to get the girls next week."

"Thanks. I'm so glad we've been able to keep it this long." Prim wrapped her arms around Katniss, pushing her into the opposite corner of the couch. "I wish Mom and Dad were still around. Hazelle and Bobby are great, but I wish I knew what kind of grandparents our parents would be."

Katniss kissed the top of Prim's head. "They would be all over spending time with their grandkids. Mom would bake with them and Dad would take them hunting and fishing. He'd carve them all sorts of little toys."

"I wish we still had the crib." Prim said sleepily.

Katniss smoothed her hand over Prim's hair. "I wish we did too. When I was pregnant with Sam, I tried to get it back. But the people that bought it lost it in a fire."

Prim sniffed. "I feel like I'm not going to be a good mom. Did you ever feel like that?"

"I still feel like that sometimes." Katniss admitted. "You just do your best. You'll have plenty of great people around to help out and give advice when you need it." She pushed Prim up and placed a finger under her chin. "And don't ever be afraid to ask for help, okay?"

"Which one of us is the stubborn one?" Prim asked with a smirk.

"You have plenty of it. The Abernathys and Everdeens have it in abundance. It comes from both sides. You just manage it better." Katniss tapped Prim's nose and stood. "I'll go in there and put something on for supper."

* * *

Becca and Sam were so exhausted that they went to sleep without much of a fight when Katniss told them it was time. She'd been texting a little with Peeta through evening. He promised to answer her call whenever she was ready, even though she said she could wait for the next day. But he insisted it was fine.

She settled into her bed. The TV in the living room played a Christmas movie softly. She could hear Rory commenting about the ridiculous storyline. He was bad about that.

Katniss pressed the button to call Peeta. He answered on the first ring. "Anxious to talk to me?" She asked with a chuckle.

"A little bit." His voice had that soft, sleepy quality and she felt bad keeping him awake.

"Well, I know it's late for you, so I won't keep you on here long." She curled onto her side. "Gale and I decided it wasn't necessary to have chaperones anymore. So we can hang out more easily."

"Is that so?" He perked up a little. "Does that mean I can ask you out to dinner?"

"Well, nothing resembling a date. The divorce still isn't final."

"I can cook for you." She could almost picture him sitting up in excitement. "At the bakery. I'll ask my dad if it's okay."

"Talk to your dad then. But I could have you here." She paused. _That's way too sexual sounding._ "I mean…"

Peeta laughed. "I guess you could. But, like you said, you're still married."

Katniss rubbed her eyes. "I'm really tired. I didn't sleep well last night."

"I'm sorry." He said softly. "Maybe tonight will be better."

"I hope so."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Something in his voice made her feel like she could just let it all go. And she did. All her fears about being alone came flooding out.

He was quiet and she was sure she'd bored him to sleep.

"Are you still there?" She asked.

"Sorry, yeah, I'm here. I was just thinking about how I've never been alone, either. And I never really put much focus into it. I couldn't have been alone until recently anyway." He paused. "You know, you're a strong woman, Katniss. You wouldn't have made it this far in life if you weren't."

"You think so?" She was able to let her guard down with him so easily. It was a little frightening.

"Yeah." He said. "It's something that's in your soul. I get these flashes of you in our other lives where it's very much the same."

"Not a lot of happiness in our pasts." She commented.

"Not really." He replied softly.

The TV shut off and she heard the conversation of the couple as they walked to the back of the house.

Prim said, "She's going through a divorce, babe. That's not an easy thing."

Rory replied, "And I get that, darlin'. It's just that we're expanding our family, it would be nice to start getting those rooms fixed up for the baby."

"There will be plenty of time for that." Prim argued just before the bedroom door closed and cut off her words.

Katniss sighed. "I should start looking for a new place to live sooner rather than later. Would you like to help me?"

Peeta chuckled. "Sure. If you'll return the favor. Maybe we can get places close to each other so visits will be easier."

"Maybe we can."

"Good. We'll discuss that more when we're both more awake."

"Yeah, you should try to get some sleep." She yawned. "Call me tomorrow?"

"Yes, of course." His voice sounded very eager.

They said their goodbyes. Katniss reached to turn out her lamp just as the door slowly opened. Becca's face peered around the frame. Katniss waved her in as she pulled the blanket back. Wordlessly, Becca climbed into the bed and snuggled close to Katniss, falling back asleep very quickly.


	21. Chapter 21

_Author's note: This is a Gadge chapter. But worry not, Everlarkers, the next two chapters are devoted to our favorite star-crossed lovers. For now, pause and give Gale and Madge a little attention. They deserve it._

 _Many thanks to my beta JavisTG!_

 _Happy reading!_

Chapter Twenty-One

The divorce would be final in just a couple more weeks. Gale had just dropped the girls with Katniss for her week and he was already lonely. He made a quick decision and called Madge.

"Do you want to go on a date?" He asked.

"The divorce isn't even final, Gale." She said anxiously. "Do you think it'll be okay?"

Gale laughed. "You were the one who offered to speed up the process."

"To rip off the band-aide. Not because I was desperate to be with you. I wanted the girls to be resettled sooner." Madge paused. "What if I come there and we cook together?"

"But we already do that." He said.

She sighed. "I guess I'm just nervous about people calling me a homewrecker."

"But you're not—"

"I kinda am." She paused. "When we touched and felt the spark, we should have sat down with Katniss and talked about all this. I shouldn't have let you put it off. I could have said something myself."

"But we didn't. So here we are, Madge." Gale leaned against the door into his apartment's tiny kitchen. "I like spending time with you. So you just want to come over? I'll go to the store and get some things and cook for you."

"Okay. Sure." He could hear the smile in her voice. "When do you want me there?"

"How about seven? It'll give me time to shove the girls' crap out of the way." He chuckled.

She laughed. "I'll be there. Want me to pick up some beer?"

"That chick beer you like or actual beer?" He asked with a grin as he walked into the living room to start gathering discarded socks and toys.

"What if we split the difference and I pick up that hard cider we both like?"

He heaved a long-suffering sigh. "Fine. Grilled steak sound okay?" He paused in the laundry room and glared at the pile of clothes he still needed to wash.

"Yes, yes, yes!" She laughed. "Make sure mine's well done."

Gale rolled his eyes. "You don't know good steak."

Madge laughed. "You have too much faith in the quality of steak at the Harps."

" _The_ Harps, Madge?" He filled the washing machine. "Are you fifty?"

"Just channeling my former self." She laughed. "See you in a couple hours."

Gale finished with the laundry and hurried out the door to pick up groceries. He and Madge had been spending a lot of time together. Meals weren't ever anything special, but this time at the store, Gale made sure to pick up a few candles and a tablecloth.

Madge arrived just as he was putting on a fresh shirt. He smoothed his hand over his hair as he moved to open the door.

Madge stood on the outside with a six pack of Angry Orchard in one hand and a bottle of some cheap wine in the other. "The woman at the liquor store said this one is supposed to be sweet." She indicated the wine. "And it was like seven dollars, so decided, why not? It's supposed to be a date, right?"

Gale nodded and took the wine from her. "Yeah. A date." Did his voice waver or was he imagining things. He waved her inside. "The steaks should be just about done."

She hung her coat on the hook by the door. He gasped when he saw the little red dress she wore. It was a simple number, but it fit her perfectly and she wore it with confidence. He felt a little underdressed in his jeans and t-shirt. But the way she was looking at him said she appreciated him all the same.

Madge stepped closer and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Like what you see?"

Gale nodded just before he pressed his lips to hers. It was soft and short, but sent sparks through his whole body. He pressed his forehead to hers and let out a long breath.

"Will you be my girlfriend, Madge?" He asked softly.

She laughed and rubbed his arms. "Yes. But let's not make it Facebook official quite yet. I'm still nervous about the 'homewrecker' thing."

"You don't need to worry about that one." Gale assured her, holding her just a little tighter. "Katniss knows the truth. Everyone that matters knows." He brushed his lips over hers. "But I don't want it all over town right away either."

Madge stepped out of his arms. "Didn't you say the steak was almost done?" She picked up the six pack from the floor. "I'm starving."

Gale chuckled and led Madge into the kitchen. It was much smaller in this little apartment than they'd had in the house. It was still a lot to get used to, even though he'd been living here for over a month.

Madge sat the cider in the fridge and pulled out the bowl of salad. "This is for us, right?"

"Yes." Gale picked up a plate and stepped out the back door to take the steaks off the grill. "These should be perfect. Even if one of them is overcooked." He winked as he sat it on the table. "And I got ice cream for dessert. With strawberries and chocolate sauce."

She grinned. "Sounds delicious."

They filled their plates with salad and mashed potatoes and their steaks. Madge cleaned her plate while they talked sporadically. And then she went for more salad.

Gale finished off a second large helping of mashed potatoes.

They were mostly silent as they ate. For all their lifetimes, food had always been more important than conversation. This was something that hung on through this lifetime.

Gale pushed his plate away. "I remember when I first called on you. In our very first life together."

"You were there for my father. Your cows had been getting into his wheat." She slipped her fingers between his. "You tried to bargain for me in exchange for a few head of cattle to make up for it."

He kissed her knuckles. "I really just wanted you."

Madge sighed and finished off her glass of wine. "Let's get the cider and watch a movie." She headed for the fridge as Gale cleared the plates to the sink.

He turned and wrapped his arms around her from behind. "Will you come to bed with me?"

She turned in his arms. "I've eaten way too much to do anything sexy. And I want to." She placed a hand on his cheek. "Let's watch a movie and drink a couple of these." She held up the case. "And then we'll see how the mood strikes."

He nodded and stepped away.

"It's not a definite no, Gale. Okay?" She patted his chest. "Just relax and let our food settle a bit. I really don't want to get motion sickness"

Gale laughed and took her hand, leading her into the living room. He polished off two of the ciders before Madge had finished her first. He reached for a third, but stopped himself when he saw Madge was eyeing him.

"Do you want some ice cream?" He asked softly.

She shook her head. "No, I'm still pretty full from supper." She sat up and pressed a kiss to his lips. "Did you get whipped cream?"

He shook his head. "Never been much of a fan of it myself."

"Well, that's a shame." She slipped her hands under his shirt. "It'll just have to be the chocolate sauce then."

"What are you talking about, Madge?" His voice hitched.

"You still want to go to bed?" Madge pushed up Gale's shirt.

"Yeah."

"How about a slight detour to the kitchen?" She got up and made her way to the fridge to get the chocolate sauce. She appeared a moment later in the doorway. "It's easier to clean up on linoleum."

Gale chuckled and followed her to the floor of the kitchen as he pulled off his shirt and she removed her dress

Madge giggled as she dribbled a little of the sauce on Gale's shoulder. She leaned forward and licked the line up to his neck where she closed her mouth over his skin, sucking hard. Electricity shot through his body.

He moaned and gripped her waist tight. He pressed his body closer. "Madge, it's all so much."

She lifted her head. "All this time I've waited for you…"

He gently took hold of her face. "That's not a bad thing." He took the bottle from her and pressed her head back. He squeezed a little on the center of her chest. Leaning forward, he slowly licked and sucked her skin until it was clean.

Madge gripped Gale's hair and panted. "It feels like fireworks going off under my skin."

He reclined her back on the floor, removing her bra in the same movement. He poured chocolate over her breast. He licked his lips just before dropping his mouth to suck the sweetness from her skin.

Madge's hands were everywhere as Gale trailed his mouth to her other breast. He felt the fireworks, too.

"I started taking the pill." She pulled his mouth to hers. "It's been a few months."

"There are condoms in my drawer anyway." He sat up. "Bed?"

"Bed." She followed him down the hall, shedding their clothes as they went.

* * *

Gale's hair was still dripping as Madge combed her fingers through it. She asked softly, "What are you thinking?"

He smiled. "Just how pretty you look without your clothes on."

She laughed and threw herself back on the bed. "Prettier than when I'm dressed."

He snorted and pressed his nose into her wet hair. "Just never seen you naked before. It was more than a little impressive."

"I've been working out." She rolled over in his arms and pressed her forehead against his.

Gale's phone went off somewhere in the other room. He rolled out of the bed in search of his pants and returned to the bed with it pressed to his ear. "I'm sorry you had that dream, Becs, but Daddy's not going anywhere." He looked toward Madge a moment. "You just went to Mommy's today. Are you sure you want to come to my house again already?" He nodded to himself and squeezed Madge's shoulder. "Put your mom on and we'll talk about it."

"What's going on?" Madge asked softly.

Gale held up his hand. "I understand, Katniss. I know it's your week… Thank you, I'll be there in a few minutes." He hung up the phone and started dressing. "Becca had a dream that I went away and didn't come back and she woke up screaming. She wants to come back here for the night."

Madge nodded and moved to find her clothes. "I'll head out then."

"You don't have to." Gale said softly.

She smiled and stepped close, resting her hands on his hips. "I'll stay through the night some other time. You need to be here with your daughter." She pressed herself up on her toes and pressed her lips to his. "Call me tomorrow." She finished dressing and left just a minutes before him.


	22. Chapter 22

_Author's note: Happy Saturday! Here is a great Everlark chapter, but an even better one is going to come your way next week. Look at the bottom for a preview of what's coming up. :)_

 _Many thanks to my beta JavisTG!_

 _Happy reading!_

Chapter Twenty-Two

Sam watched in wonder as Peeta finished piping purple roses onto the cake in front of him with precision. "That's so cool!" Her voice was barely above a whisper.

Peeta chuckled. "Glad you think so." He held out the piping bag. "You wanna try?"

She shook her head. "No, that's okay."

"I want to try!" Becca said from the other side of the table.

"Come on over." Peeta held out the piping bag and helped settle Becca on the stool he had been sitting on. He helped guide Becca's small hand to make a flower. "Great job, Becca!" He looked toward Sam. "Change your mind?"

Sam considered it a moment and then nodded. She took the spot Becca had vacated and let Peeta guide her hands. The flower was wobbly, but didn't look too bad.

"Can I go next, Daddy?" Callie asked at his elbow.

Peeta allowed Callie a turn.

"Whose is best?" Callie asked as soon as Peeta sat the bag aside.

"They all three look great." He said with a proud smile before he pressed a kiss to the top of Callie's head.

Peeta's phone rang and he stepped away from the girls, discussing whose was actually the best, to answer. "Hi, Katniss."

"Hi, Peeta." She said breathily. "Are my girls behaving?"

"They're doing great! They just helped me finish up decorating a cake."

"Good." She paused. "So we've got it all figured. Everything is final."

"That's good, right?" He asked.

"Yeah, it's great." Katniss let out a sigh. "Gale is going to come to see the girls a bit. But I'd like my daughters and me to go out to dinner with you and Callie."

"That'll be fun, yeah." Peeta turned to where the three girls were taking turns licking the frosting out of the bowl he'd mixed the color in. "I'll make sure they're not covered in frosting."

"Thank you. We'll be there in a few minutes." She hung up the phone

Peeta turned to the girls. "Okay, you three, go to the bathroom and get cleaned up. Sam and Becca, your parents are on their way."

"Both of them?" Sam asked, her eyes wide.

Peeta nodded. "Yep. They'll be here in a few minutes. Go get the frosting off." He watched them all go and then put the cake in the fridge. He'd clean up the flowers later.

Conrad walked in from the main room of the bakery. "Everything's cleaned up. You are free to leave as soon as that cake is done."

"It's mostly done. I let the girls each do a flower." Peeta leaned in and whispered, "They can be cleaned up in less than five minutes."

Conrad chuckled. "You're really good with them."

"Thanks." Peeta said, feeling his face heat up a little.

Sam came running out of the bathroom with her hair soaked. "Becca and Callie are getting water everywhere."

Peeta sighed. "Go to the house and ask Cara for a towel to dry off." He walked into the bathroom to find the giggling girls and water all over the floor and themselves. He shut off the faucet. "It's a good thing you both wear the same size clothes. To the house."

He quickly sopped up the water, listening as his father ushered everyone out the back door.

"Oh, hi, Katniss." Conrad said cheerfully. "The girls got into a bit of a water fight."

Peeta heard Katniss heave a sigh.

Becca said, "I'm gonna borrow some of Callie's clothes."

Peeta walked into the other room, holding all the wet rags. "Hey. Sorry. I told them to clean up and they…" He twitched his head toward the back.

Katniss shook her head. "Go change. Your dad wants to talk to you."

Conrad offered, "He can come inside to wait." He ushered the girls out.

Peeta sat the wet rags in the bin with the other dirty clothes. "I have to finish cleaning this up." He turned and she followed.

She grabbed his hand and wrapped her arms around him. "I'm so grateful for you."

He returned her embrace and kissed the top of her head. "I'm here for you. All the time. Whatever you need."

She looked up. "I never…" She sighed and rested her forehead against his shoulder. "I'm not married anymore. I'm not a part of the Hawthorne family. I'm just Katniss now."

He gently scratched her back. "I know it's going to be different for a while. But my family will gladly have you here whenever you need it or want it." He pulled back. "Guess what?"

"What?"

"I put an offer in on a house. I'm waiting for a call to see if I was accepted."

"That's awesome! Congratulations!" She pressed herself up and kissed him.

She meant it to be quick, but neither of them pulled away. She opened her mouth to him and he slipped his tongue inside, pulling her even closer. A million memories of all their lives crashed through his mind. His lips buzzed. His whole body felt like it was a live wire. He figured if he looked at his fingertips, they would have lightning bolts shooting from them.

She broke the kiss and leaned back against the wall. "Well, that was something."

He smiled and leaned against the opposite wall. "It was." He chuckled. "What do you think sex is like?"

Katniss laughed and pushed off from the wall. "I can't wait to find out." She picked up some paper towels and finished sopping up the water.

"But we will. If you're not ready." Peeta offered as they walked out of the bathroom with the last of the rags.

"It's just…" She paused as they stepped out of the bakery and she saw Gale kneeling in front of Sam and Becca. "It feels too soon."

He slipped his hand into hers and kissed her knuckles. "I'll lock up here."

"Then we'll go get something to eat." She started to step away, but he stopped her.

"You look nice, by the way. Green suits you." He turned away.

* * *

Katniss felt the grin grow on her face at Peeta's compliment. She walked over to where Gale stood with the girls.

"So nothing changes." Gale was explaining as Katniss got within earshot. "You'll finish out your week with your mom and then you'll come have your week with me."

Becca wrapped her arms around Gale's neck. "You'll be okay, Daddy."

Gale laughed and kissed her cheek. "I know. And so will you." He wrapped his arm around Sam's waist. "And we'll all get to celebrate Sam's birthday in a couple weeks."

"It's okay if we're all together?" Sam asked, looking anxiously between her parents.

"Of course." Katniss smoothed her hand over Sam's hair. "You guys okay?"

Sam nodded and wrapped her arms around Gale. "Daddy said nothing's gonna change."

"And nothing will." Gale promised.

"But what about Madge and Peeta?" Sam asked. Her voice was uneasy.

Peeta had paused beside them, but continued on without a word.

Katniss dropped down. "Right now, Peeta and I are friends. And maybe eventually it will be more. If it ever makes you uncomfortable, you tell me and I will try all I can to make you comfortable again. But I love Peeta."

"And do you love Madge, Daddy?" Becca asked.

Gale nodded. "I love her very much."

Katniss sighed and stood. "I'll give you guys a few more minutes alone, okay?" She patted Gale's back before she walked into the house.

Peeta stood just inside the door waiting. "Is everything okay?"

She smiled and wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her face into his neck. "I want to be alone with you."

"I can carve out a few minutes." He murmured in her ear.

She shook her head and looked up at him. "Want to come home with us tonight?"

"I don't want to stay." He whispered. "That doesn't feel right."

"And you don't have to." Katniss swallowed. She opened her mouth to say something else, but was interrupted by the door opening.

Becca and Sam came inside, pausing to wave at Gale.

"We'll talk later." Katniss said.

Becca held up her arms to Katniss. "Will you pick me up, Mama?"

Katniss smiled and lifted her daughter up. "Not going to be able to do this for much longer. You're getting so big."

A short time later, Peeta had bustled everyone out the door and they headed toward the local Chinese buffet. Katniss and Peeta held hands underneath the table. Callie and Becca talked rapid-fire to each other. Sam rolled her eyes and focused really hard on trying to figure out her chopsticks.

Katniss leaned close and murmured, "I think Gale and Madge have advanced their relationship."

"What makes you think that?" Peeta whispered.

"She was there today." Katniss glanced toward Sam who was now engaged in a conversation with her sister. "And just the way they looked at each other…"

Peeta squeezed Katniss's hand. "Are you okay?"

"It's his life." Katniss sighed.

"It is. But you have been part of it for so long."

"Well, I'm not anymore." Katniss pulled her hand out of Peeta's. "Hey, Callie, did Becca ever tell you about how good she is at shooting a bow and arrow?"

Callie nodded. "I asked my daddy if I could learn too, but he said no."

"It seems a little dangerous." Peeta said apologetically.

"We started out with soft tips until she got the hang of it and none of the arrows fell." Katniss explained. "It _is_ dangerous if you start too soon and don't stress safety first."

"Well, if you're the expert, maybe you could give Cal a couple lessons." Peeta said with a sideways grin.

Callie's eyes widened. "Could you?"

Katniss laughed. "I think we can figure something out." She winked.

As they finished their meal and melted into safer topics, an inkling of an idea started forming in Katniss's mind.

* * *

Becca and Callie went to play in Becca's room the second they were through the door. Sam looked between Peeta and Katniss and then wandered into her room mumbling something about finishing a book.

"You want to sit?" Katniss asked clutching her hands together nervously.

"Sure." Peeta took her hand and pulled her to the couch.

Katniss looked down toward the hall and then curled up against his side. "I don't want to upset them." She said softly as she turned on the TV.

"I get that." He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "But I really like when I get be close to you like this."

"I like it too. Even when our skin isn't touching, I feel recharged." She took his hand that draped over her shoulder and slipped her fingers through his. "So they helped you decorate a cake, huh?"

"Yeah, they helped me pipe on some roses." He nuzzled her hair. "Sam asked me to make her birthday cake."

"Did she?" Katniss smiled to herself. "She's really warming up to you."

"She is. I like spending time with your kids. I like spending time with you." He moved from underneath her. "We've been talking a while about going on an actual date, but you keep making excuses. Brushing me off."

"Not because I wanted to—"

"I know." He cupped his hands around her face. "Please promise me, though, that you'll agree to go on a date with me. A real one."

"Okay. Next week. When Sam and Becca are with their dad. We'll go on a date."

"Thank you." He leaned in and pressed a kiss to her lips. "It's starting to get late. Cal and I should go."

Katniss scrunched up her face. "Too bad." She leaned in and whispered, "I was hoping you could hang out long enough for the girls to fall asleep and then we could make out."

Peeta laughed. "And here I was just hoping for a date." He pulled her in for a soft kiss. "I'll call you tomorrow." He stepped back and called for Callie.

"I'm not ready to go." Callie grumbled as she shuffled out of the room. "Can't I stay the night with Becca?"

"Not tonight, kiddo." Peeta handed over her coat. "Bye, Becca. Bye, Sam." He pulled on his coat and winked at Katniss. "See ya, Ruthie." He hesitated a moment before he kissed her cheek.

"Who's Ruthie?" Becca asked once the door shut.

Katniss laughed. "I am. I was." She wrapped an arm around Becca's shoulders. "Let's get you ready for bed." She kissed Becca's head and steered her down the hall.

Sam hovered in the hallway. "Mom, will you tell us about Ruthie?"

Katniss smiled and nodded. "Get your PJs on and I'll make us some hot chocolate. Then I'll tell you both the story." She tapped Becca's nose. "How about a slumber party in my room?"

Becca's eyes brightened. "Can we eat cookies?"

"We most certainly can." Katniss started the water on the stove and then gathered up all the cookies and chips that were left in the house. She always said they would cut back, but she had an addiction to salty things that especially reared its head once a month.

"Mom, is the hot chocolate ready?" Becca asked from the doorway.

Katniss smiled. "Almost. Come get the food and I'll be right behind you."

Sam and Becca gathered the junk food in their arms and scurried off to Katniss's bedroom. Katniss fixed up the cocoa and followed. She passed each of her girls a cup and then sat hers aside to change into her pajamas.

Katniss settled into the middle of the bed with her cup. "Soulmates find each other in different lives. Peeta and I knew each other in a bunch. And we remember them all in little bits and pieces. Memories that feel like they might be dreams."

"Like remembering something from when you're small?" Sam asked.

Katniss gave her daughter a proud smile. "Where did you get so smart?" She pressed a kiss to Sam's temple.

"I got smart parents." Sam said behind her cup.

Katniss chuckled. "Well, yes, it's like remembering something from when you're small. Except we were already grown and had a whole life behind us."  
Sam asked, "And you were Ruthie once?"

"I was Ruthie." Katniss answered, taking a sip form her cup. "A long time ago, she was a young woman who lived in a big city."

"If you were Ruthie, who was Peeta?" Sam asked, leaning her head on her mother's shoulder.

"He was a young woman named Helen. She was from a rich family with lots of plans for Helen. But Helen met Ruth and Helen decided she didn't want those plans anymore."

"How old were they?" Becca asked.

"Ruth was sixteen when she met Helen. Helen was nineteen." Katniss said. "They loved each other."

"They were lesbians." Becca said, proud of herself for such a big word.

Katniss laughed. "Where did you hear that word?"

Becca looked slightly offended. "Maggie Odair says her Aunt Jo and Aunt Cressida are lesbians. It's when two girls love each other."

Katniss nodded. "That's exactly what it means."

"When was it?" Sam asked. "When Helen and Ruth met?"

"It was 1923." Katniss recalled. "Helen was engaged to some rich man her parents wanted her to marry. But she loved Ruth. And they would meet in secret to drink illegal alcohol and dance and be in love."

"Well, what happened?" Sam asked. "Did they live happily ever after?"

Katniss shook her head and sipped her hot chocolate. "Helen married the man anyway. Because her parents wanted her to. And he took her away."

"Were you sad, Mama?" Becca asked, tears forming in her eyes.

Katniss sighed. "I was very sad. I was so sad that I…" _I stopped eating._

"What happened to Ruth, Mom?" Sam asked.

"She died." Katniss said. "She never got to see Helen again."

"That's so sad." Becca said, wiping at her eyes.

"What happened to Helen?" Sam asked. "Was she happy?"

"I never asked Peeta. I don't know." But she had asked him once. He said when Helen got word that Ruth had died, she'd jumped off a bridge. Not a very happy story in the slightest.

"Were any of them happy?" Sam asked.

Katniss wrapped an arm around Sam's shoulder. "We came over on the Mayflower together. We met on the boat and got married there. And then we had a very happy life together in the New World." Not entirely true, but both of them had survived the first winter, so that was something.

Katniss told her daughters edited versions of some of the happier lives until both girls were asleep. Katniss lay between them, feeling the breathing. She let it soothe her to sleep.

She dreamed of Helen and Ruth dancing the night away.

* * *

 **Preview for Chapter 23!**

 _Peeta smoothed his hand over his hair as he walked up to the front steps of Katniss's house. He raised his hand to knock, but the door flew open._

 _Katniss laughed. "Sorry. I've never been on a real date before, I'm a little anxious."_

 _He smiled confidently. "Well, I'm here." He held out the bouquet of flowers made out of cookies. "The gentleman in me wanted to bring flowers, but the baker in me said cookies."_

 _She laughed again. "Thank you. I'll go put them in a glass of milk."_

 _He let out a guffaw. "That's a good one."_

 _"Come in. I'll get my purse." She stepped back._

 _Peeta followed her inside. Katniss wore the same green shirt she'd worn the day at court. Did she only have green shirts or had she liked being complimented on it?_

 _She put the cookies on a plate on the counter in the kitchen and then picked up her handbag from beside the door. "So where are we going?"_

 _"It's a surprise." He held out his hand._

 _"I've never been a big fan of surprises." Katniss stopped beside his car._

 _Peeta smiled and opened the door for her. "You remember how I told you I was waiting to get a response for an offer I put in on a house?"_

 _"Yeah?"_

 _"It was accepted. I got the keys and had all the utilities turned on earlier this week."_

 _She smiled and squeezed his arm. "That's so great! Congratulations!"_

 _"Thanks." He took her hand in his. "I stocked up the kitchen a bit. I figured we could cook together. Kind of relax."_

 _She let out a relieved breath. "I'm so glad." She pressed a quick kiss to his cheek and slid into the passenger seat._


	23. Chapter 23

_Author's note: I cannot wait to find out what you think of this chapter!_

 _Many thanks to my beta JavisTG for all your enthusiasm for this story and this moment._

 _And thanks also to writingbutunpublished for kicking me into writing the events in this chapter sooner than intended._

 _Happy reading!_

Chapter Twenty-Three

Peeta smoothed his hand over his hair as he walked up to the front steps of Katniss's house. He raised his hand to knock, but the door flew open.

Katniss laughed. "Sorry. I've never been on a real date before, I'm a little anxious."

He smiled confidently. "Well, I'm here." He held out the bouquet of flowers made out of cookies. "The gentleman in me wanted to bring flowers, but the baker in me said cookies."

She laughed again. "Thank you. I'll go put them in a glass of milk."

He let out a guffaw. "That's a good one."

"Come in. I'll get my purse." She stepped back.

Peeta followed her inside. Katniss wore the same green shirt she'd worn the day at court. Did she only have green shirts or had she liked being complimented on it?

She put the cookies on a plate on the counter in the kitchen and then picked up her handbag from beside the door. "So where are we going?"

"It's a surprise." He held out his hand.

"I've never been a big fan of surprises." Katniss stopped beside his car.

Peeta smiled and opened the door for her. "You remember how I told you I was waiting to get a response for an offer I put in on a house?"

"Yeah?"

"It was accepted. I got the keys and had all the utilities turned on earlier this week."

She smiled and squeezed his arm. "That's so great! Congratulations!"

"Thanks." He took her hand in his. "I stocked up the kitchen a bit. I figured we could cook together. Kind of relax."

She let out a relieved breath. "I'm so glad." She pressed a quick kiss to his cheek and slid into the passenger seat.

Peeta ran around to the other side of the car and started it out of the driveway. "I know you're still trying to figure it out. And, well, it's been quite a while since I was on a date myself. Thought I should stick to something I know."

"I like to cook." Katniss slipped her hand into his. "What are we making?"

"Curry." He kissed her knuckles. "And I made an extra pie at work for our dessert. Apple." He pulled into a house just a block from the bakery. "What do you think?"

She looked up at the two story building. "Two floors."

"Four bedrooms." He looked over. "I know we're still a long way from it, but I bought it with you and your kids in mind."

She squeezed his fingers. "I appreciate that." She opened her car door. "Show me around." She got out. "And then feed me. I'm starving."

He laughed and held out his hand. After unlocking the door, he swept his hand inside. "Welcome to my new home."

She let out a giddy laugh and hurried inside. The front room was a living room/dining room combo. It connected to the kitchen by a small island. The kitchen was large and everything was stainless steel.

"Yay, fingerprints everywhere." Katniss commented with a grin.

Peeta laughed. "Yeah, that's going to be something I have to figure out." He polished the fridge door with his sleeve. "It's pretty though."

"It is. And I can see what sold you here." She opened the oven. "That's huge!"

"You can fit a full-sized turkey in there." He took her hand. "We'll be in here enough tonight. Come see the rest."

There was a half bath and a bedroom downstairs. "This will be my painting studio for a while, I think." He pointed to the windows. "Lots of great natural light." He led her upstairs. Two bedrooms were connected by a bathroom. "Perfect for kids." He smiled.

Katniss looked around and nodded. "Yeah." She chewed her lip.

"What are you not saying?" Peeta asked, slipping his arm around her waist.

"That Becca and Callie could share this room." She pointed to the end farthest from the bathroom. "Two little beds right there with a desk or something in the middle. Callie's doll house there and Becca's little kitchen thing there." She pointed out a few more things.

"Katniss—"

"Just thinking. About how it could work." She walked into the other room. "Not that I want it to happen any time soon. But maybe in a year or so." She looked out the window toward the back yard. "Sam likes watching the trees change with the seasons."

Peeta wrapped his arms around Katniss from behind. "We have that in common." He kissed her cheek. "I'll make this a play room for now. But we can go ahead and put two beds in the other. For Becca to sleep over whenever you and Gale are okay with it."

She leaned back against him. "Thank you." She trailed her fingers over the back of his hand. "I love that spark."

He smiled and kissed her again before stepping away. "Not to be presumptuous, but you should come check out the master. Three people could fit in the shower."

She laughed and followed him into the other room. There was a bed sitting against the wall. It was the only furniture in the whole house except for the small dining set she'd spotted in the kitchen.

"Not presumptuous at all." Katniss said, dropping down onto the mattress and giving it an experimental bounce.

Peeta felt his face heat up and he stammered. "Well, I, um… I wanted to… I mean, if you…"

She stood back up. She gently took his face in her hands. "Hey, it's okay. I get it. I like that you planned ahead." She pressed a soft kiss to his lips. "Good on you, Helen." She said with a smirk. She poked her head into the bathroom and nodded in approval. Dragging him out of the bedroom, she said, "Show me how to make curry."

In the kitchen, Peeta handed Katniss a bunch of carrots and potatoes to clean and chop. He put on some rice to cook. "Sometimes I go lazy and just put in frozen veggies, but I figure tonight was special enough for the fresh stuff." He started chopping up chicken breast.

She laughed. "Well, thank you."

"You're welcome." Peeta put a little oil in a frying pan and let it heat up. "So, can I ask you something?"

She paused in her chopping. "Anything?"

"Were you ever happy?" He busied himself with chopping a potato. "With Gale?"

He glanced up to see her chewing on her lip.

"I'm sorry, that's stepping over—"

"No." She went back to the last of the carrots. "It's fine. I was just thinking." She sighed. "I guess I was. Most of the time." She sat aside her knife. "I never felt like I had other options."

"Because his family took you in and gave you job?"

Katniss nodded.

Peeta put the veggies into the pan with the chicken. "A couple great things happened in your marriage, though."

She smiled fondly. "Yeah. A couple of the best things." She stepped over and slipped her arm around his waist. "Were you happy with Alex?"

"I was so happy with her that I feel guilty when I'm happy with you." He sighed and rested his head against hers. "I just keep thinking about it. And I can't figure out how to stop."

"Feeling guilty?"

He nodded and stirred the food in the frying pan. "I want to believe that she'd be excited for us. She was always so curious about soulmates. I…" He sighed and moved away. "I don't know."

Katniss crossed her arms and leaned against the counter. "You're never going to know. And that sucks. But I hope you can figure out a way to move past it. I don't ever want you to forget about her. She was a big part of your life." She reached out and took his hand. "Hey, look at me."

Peeta slowly looked over.

"How about we move on to happier subjects for tonight?"

"Like what?"

"Like… Why do you like to bake?"

He laughed. "It's soothing." He measured out some coconut milk and water and poured it into the frying pan. "I like the way the dough feels under my hands when I'm kneading it. And then the cake decorating. I like the repetitive motions." He scooped some curry paste into the pan and stirred. "I can do it in my sleep."

She chuckled. "I like when I get to watch you."

"Well, I have a lot of cakes to work on tomorrow. You can come watch me if you want." He leaned in and stole a kiss. "Do you like making bows?"

Katniss considered Peeta's question a moment while she drew circles on the back of his hand. "Yes, I do. I mean, I didn't really think it would be my career. But I sucked up everything my dad wanted to teach me." She grinned. "I can carve more than bows. But I haven't been nurturing it in these last few years, so I'm a little rusty."

He went to the cupboard and pulled out bowls and glasses. "Well, I'd love to see what you can do."

Katniss filled the glasses with water from the fridge door. "Maybe I'll try my hand at it."

Peeta stuck spoons in the bowls and carried them to the table. "So if you could be anything else, what would it be?"

"I honestly don't know." She sat beside him and stirred the curry. "I was going to go to school for business."

Peeta laughed. "What?"

With a nod, Katniss lifted her spoon to her mouth. "I don't know what I was going to even do with it. I didn't have the chance."

"You never really said what happened to your parents."

"Car accident." She rested her hand on his knee. "I didn't want to upset you, so I decided to keep those details to myself."

"I appreciate that." He rested his hand on top of hers. "But I can compartmentalize a bit. My accident was not your parents' accident."

"It just happened so fast." Katniss stirred the contents of her bowl. "My mom had depression. And she'd just been hospitalized…" She sighed. "Dad had been up all night for a couple days trying to get caught up on orders. He went to pick Mom up." She took a deep breath to steady herself. "You can probably figure out the rest."

"I'm so sorry." He said softly. "You were eighteen?"

"Seventeen. I was just about done with high school." She pushed her bowl away. "Bobby and Hazelle fought for custody of me and Prim. Then I asked for them to help me become Prim's guardian after I turned eighteen. And you know the rest."

Peeta scooted his chair back and then tugged Katniss across to his lap. "You okay?"

She shook her head and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I think about all our lives together and how my life is now. And I just feel like I deserve a break. I deserve more than just being someone's mother and being content and just…existing."

"You do." He rubbed her back. "We both do."

She looked into his eyes a moment. Hers were stormy skies. "I'm done eating the curry. It was delicious."

"There's pie over there on the counter." He smoothed his hands up her back.

"I was about to suggest the condoms in my purse, but if you want pie first—"

Peeta stood then, scooping Katniss into his arms effortlessly. "I didn't buy a new bed just for it to look nice." He bound out of the room, struggling a little on the stairs.

"You don't have to carry me the whole way." She assured him.

"It's just my leg…" He sat her on her feet on the step just above. "I have pins that pieced the bones back together. Still a lot of pain sometimes."

She slipped her hand into his. "Come show me."

He led her into the bedroom. He hesitated at the light switch.

"I have stretch marks and scars. I don't mind you seeing them." She reached over and flipped on the light. "And I want to see all of you."

He nodded and reached up to cup her face, tangling his fingers in her hair. "Katniss, I love you. Not just in past lives, but in this one. And it kind of scares me."

Katniss smiled and stepped closer, resting her hands on Peeta's hips. "Let me help you not to be so scared." She pressed her lips to his as she slipped her hands up the back of his shirt.

He slid his hands down her neck to the top buttons of her shirt. He popped them slowly, dropping his head to follow the track of her newly exposed skin

"Just pull it off." She panted, reaching for her hem.

Peeta helped Katniss lift off her shirt. Then he wrapped his arms around her waist and pressed his mouth to her shoulder for a series of soft kisses.

"You want to run down and get me my purse?" She asked softly.

"No need." He stepped back and pulled his shirt off. "There are condoms in the bathroom. I'll get them in a minute." He took her hands and pulled her toward the bed. "Want to see my gnarly scars?"

"You bet I do. Scars are sexy." She dropped to her knees and unfastened his jeans, pulling them down to the floor. She trailed her finger over the line that ran from just above his left knee down to the middle of the shin. The other leg had a series of smaller scars.

"The left leg was broken and cut up with glass. The right was pretty torn up with the glass." He combed his fingers through her hair.

She looked up at him as she rubbed her hands up and down his legs. "Does it still hurt sometimes?"

"When the pressure changes outside. Like when it's about to storm." He held his hand out. "Show me yours."

Katniss kicked off her shoes and then pushed her pants down. "My dear, sweet Rebecca was breech and refused to turn. So they had to perform a C-section." She pointed to the scar that ran across her lower stomach.

"She's stubborn, isn't she?" Peeta kicked off his shoes and pants before wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Yeah, like her mother." She wrapped her arms around his neck, playing with the hair at the nape of his neck. "So, what do you want to do next?"

"How about we finish getting naked and then get in bed?"

"Only if you get the condoms." She kissed him. "I'm sorry if I sound obsessive, I just don't want to have to worry about a baby so soon."

"I completely understand." He pulled the blanket down and patted the mattress. "Get comfortable and I'll be right back."

Peeta returned to find Katniss sitting on the side of the bed, completely naked. She chewed her lip uncertainly as she looked up at him.

"Did you ever have sex with anyone but Alex?" She asked, her eyes full of conflict.

He shook his head. "Just her."

"It was only Gale for me." She rubbed her face. "You're not supposed to bring other people in the bedroom. Prim warned me—"

He dropped to the floor in front of her. "It's fine. I know a few things that I like. But I might like different things with you. So, I'm definitely looking forward to figuring it out."

"I don't really know what I like." She admitted softly. "I never really…liked it. Not completely."

"Then we'll just play around and see what happens." He rubbed her thighs. "Okay?"

She nodded and moved up onto the bed.

He shucked his underwear and followed, wrapping his arms around her. He kissed her slowly, grabbing onto her bottom and pulling her on top of him.

Katniss tangled her fingers in Peeta's hair. "Touch me more." She murmured against his lips.

"Tell me where?" He panted. His arousal was growing more prominent.

She took his hand from behind her back and guided it between her legs. "It takes me a bit to get going, so you can start."

He started rubbing slow circles into her clit while his other hand roamed slowly over the rest of her body. "Like that?"

She nodded and pressed her mouth to his neck. She kissed every inch of his skin she could reach, humming against his skin. Every bit of him sparked. It felt like someone was running a live wire over his chest where her mouth touched. And his fingertips felt like they were pressing that same electricity into her.

She gasped and sat up.

Peeta's hands went still. "What?"

Grabbing his wrist, Katniss pushed it back into motion. "It's working a lot quicker than normal."

He tangled his other hand in her hair. "Not to be narcissistic or anything, but do you think it's because it's me?"

"It has to be. I'm on fire everywhere." She rested her forehead against his and pressed her hips down into his hand. She gasped again and then gripped his shoulders tight as she met her orgasm.

She collapsed against him and he held her close as she panted.

"That doesn't usually happen?" He asked softly as he trailed his fingers down her spine.

"No, it doesn't." She lifted her head. "I saw you as three different people at once. It was amazing."

"Three different people?"

"You were you. But I saw Helen, too. And someone else. Another man." She kissed him softly and wrapped her hand around his hard length. "He was broad and he had red hair."

"The Scot." He gasped and let his head fall back against the wall.

"I don't remember that one." She reached over the side of the bed to find the box he'd left there.

Peeta sighed and rubbed Katniss's arm as she opened the box. "Highlander and his tiny little kidnapped bride. Except it was only a fake kidnapping. We were from opposing clans. Very Romeo and Juliet."

"Don't tell me we both died a few days after the wedding." She opened a packet and rolled the condom on.

"No, I think we lasted a while." He combed his fingers through her hair.

"I remember now." She sat back on his thighs and thought a moment. "We lasted a few years and then I died after I gave birth to our second child."

Peeta chewed his lip a moment and then nodded. "I think you're right." He wrapped his arms around Katniss's waist and rolled her beneath him. "I wonder who I'll see."

"I can't wait." She said breathlessly.

He kissed her softly as he guided himself inside her.

She let out a satisfied moan as she settled around him.

"Are you okay?" It was said in a strained voice.

"Yeah." She breathed.

"I'm gonna…"

She nodded and clutched at his bottom. "It's fine."

Peeta clamped his mouth over Katniss's again as he started to move within her. He wrapped his arm around her waist while the other braced against the mattress.

Touching Katniss and bringing her to her climax was one thing. Being inside her and feeling the electricity running through him there was so surreal. As Peeta grew closer, he lifted his head and looked down at her. What he saw was Ruth with her blonde curls and her cheeky smile.

He blinked and she was Katniss again, smiling up at him. "You okay?"

"Ruthie." He kissed her again. "God, Katniss, this is…"

"Everything." She finished for him.

He nodded and then stepped over into his orgasm. Several faces flashed over Katniss's as he looked down at her.

He kissed her softly once more before he moved to the side.

"I wonder why there's so much Ruth and Helen." Katniss said softly as she slipped her hand into Peeta's.

"Maybe because they were so recent." He panted.

"Maybe." She moved to her side and propped her head on her hand. "I told Becca and Sam about them. I said I never asked what happened to Helen after Ruth died."

"Yeah, jumping off a bridge isn't a fairytale ending." He pulled her arm across his waist. "You want pie?"

"I'd love some pie."

He smiled and pulled her in for a kiss. "I'll be right back." He scurried down to the kitchen, avoiding the un-curtained windows as best as he could.

He stepped into the room to find Katniss curled up on the bed with her face pressed into the pillow. He hurried over and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay?"

She nodded and lifted her head. "It was always because it was supposed to be you. And I wasted ten years married to someone else. Because I didn't care about this stupid soulmate thing before."

He pulled her against him and kissed her temple. "Hey, it's okay. Let's not worry about all the chances we missed. Let's be happy we have each other now." He grabbed her face. "I'm not losing you this time. Not to death or circumstance. I'm here until I'm old and gray. You're not going to lose me."

She nodded and pulled him into a desperate kiss, falling onto the bed once more.


	24. Chapter 24

_Author's note: Y'all, I have finished writing this whole story! I'm going to give you the last chapters as quickly as I get them back from my beta and edited on my end. I am so excited to share the end of this story with you. And I cannot wait to see what you have to say about it. I'm sure a few of you may be happy with the results of a conversation Peeta and Katniss have near the end of this chapter._

 _Many thanks to my beta JavisTG!_

 _And thanks also to my besite and pre-reader writingbutunpublished._

 _Happy reading!_

Chapter Twenty-Four

Katniss was warm. She'd never really been comfortable sleeping so close to someone, but she found it was different with Peeta. She felt the warmth all the way to her bones.

Peeta's alarm started going off and he groaned. "I've never wanted to stay in bed more."

She lifted her head off his chest as grappled for his phone. "Want me to make some breakfast?"

He grinned and kissed her forehead. "If you want. It's really early for you, though."

She sat up and stretched, the blanket pooling around her waist. She was very much aware of his gaze falling down to her exposed skin. "I don't mind." She rolled out of the bed and found her clothes. "I get up this early when I go hunting."

"I'll take a quick shower." Peeta wrapped his arms around Katniss's waist. "I have to be at the bakery by four-thirty."

"I'll see what I can throw together." She pressed a soft kiss to his lips. "I hope you got enough rest."

"I've worked on less sleep. And at least this will be for good reason." He gave her a sexy smirk and then turned to the bathroom.

Katniss walked into the kitchen. She was very happy to see that there were plenty of options for breakfast. She pulled out bacon and eggs and sat a frying pan on the stove. She threw together a simple biscuit dough and shoved them in the oven.

Peeta stepped into the kitchen several minutes later with his hair still dripping a little onto the shoulders of his white shirt.

"How do you like your eggs cooked?" She asked as she pulled the last strip of bacon out of the pan.

"Scrambled is fine." He wrapped his arms around her waist. "I didn't expect a four-course meal. I usually just eat extra pasty in the morning." He kissed her cheek.

"That's not breakfast, that's quality control." She cracked a couple eggs into a bowl and scrambled them with a fork.

He laughed and swiped a piece of bacon as he moved to lean his hip against the counter.

She poured the eggs into the hot pan. "You like gravy on your biscuits?"

"You made biscuits too?" Peeta peered into the oven. "From scratch?"

"You're not the only one that gets to be a whiz in the kitchen." Katniss playfully poked his chest. "You can do supper every night and I'll make us breakfast. Breakfast is my thing."

"Good to know." He smiled. "No gravy this time. I'll wait for that on another day."

"Okay." Katniss finished cooking his eggs and slid them onto a plate. "The biscuits should be done." She went to frying an egg for herself.

Peeta pulled the pan of biscuits out of the oven and placed a couple on his plate along with several slices of bacon.

"I couldn't find your coffee grounds." She gently flipped her egg and then put the rest of the food on her plate while it finished.

"They're in the freezer." He walked over and started the pot. "I hardly drink coffee, but I remember you saying something about it." He picked up his plate while the pot started going. "You don't have to be awake with me this early."

"Yeah, I do." She carried her plate to the table. She looked up as he sat beside her. "For right now, I want every available moment. That may change in the future, but I want it this morning."

He leaned over and stole a kiss. "You have plans for today?"

"Go home and shower." She laughed. "I have a few orders to work on, but nothing too pressing. May just go to the range for a while." She took a bite.

"I'm going to have a key made for you here." He got up and poured them both a cup of coffee. "If you want to come stay, you can. Especially when Gale has the girls. Callie and I would love to hang out with you."

"We'll see." She accepted the cup. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." He sat down again. "You can go back up and sleep for a while after I leave. I don't mind." He looked at his phone. "I have five more minutes until I have to leave."

She made a face. "Do you have to?"

He nodded. "Unfortunately." He scraped the last of the food off his plate. "This was delicious. And I look forward to gravy." He leaned over and kissed her cheek. "I'll wash dishes later." He sat his plate in the sink and carried his cup toward the door. "But make yourself comfortable." He sat his cup on the floor and pulled on his coat.

She followed and held out his coffee. "Have a good day at work, honey." She said with a smile.

He chuckled. "I'll try. Want to get together for lunch?"

"Sure." She closed the door behind him after one more shared kiss.

Katniss turned to the dishes in the sink. Peeta said not to worry, but she could at least rinse everything out and stick it in the dishwasher.

She locked up and made her way back home in the dark of the early Saturday morning. The streets were relatively empty save for the people going to and from their jobs. At home, Katniss showered and gathered all that she would need to work.

The empty building was a bit of a comfort. Working with everyone milling about had been hard lately. She couldn't concentrate with the noise. And seeing Madge and Gale together through the day had been a little painful. She started seeing all the signs she'd missed those five years.

She had to figure out a way to fix it.

One of her dreams when she was younger was to be a champion archer. She'd won a few competitions in high school, but her mother was always sick and her dad was working a lot. And then they'd died and she had to put her dreams away. College was definitely out of the picture. At least she and Gale could practice together and hunt to blow off steam.

Her phone rang as she was finishing one step of her first project and moving to another on one she'd started the day before. Her heart started pounding when she saw Gale's name.

"Gale, is everything okay?" Katniss asked.

"Mom, I want come to your house." Sam said.

"Why? What's going on, baby?" Katniss picked up her purse and headed toward the front door.

"Madge is walking around the house in her underwear." Sam huffed. "I want to come home."

"In her underwear? Like only her underwear?" Katniss climbed into her SUV.

"No, she was wearing a shirt over it. But I don't like it and I want you to come get me."

Katniss let out a long breath. It wasn't even ten. "Put your dad on the phone."

"Are you going to come?" Sam whined.

"Just let me sort some things out with your dad, okay? We'll see."

Katniss heard an angry grumble and then Gale got on the line. "I think she's right to be upset, but I talked it out with Madge and she promises to wear pants or shorts everywhere. She was just a little overly comfortable."

"It's really hard for her, Gale." Katniss said.

"It is. I know it is, Katniss. And I want to make sure she's not upset by everything, but we can't walk around tiptoe all the time because our daughter _might_ get offended."

"That's not what it's about. This is all new for everyone. And I get that Madge isn't used to taking into account other people, much less kids, but she needs to now. Just as much as Sam will need to eventually stop getting upset over small things." Katniss sighed. "This isn't even four months from me moving out. And we're both in new houses. Gale, she's not being irrational."

"I know. I agree." He said softly.

She groaned. "Do you want me to come get her?"

"She wants you to." He said, resigned. "And I want you to have the opportunity. I'm not going to tell you no."

"I think you're right about some of this. And if you and Madge have talked, that's what's most important." She chewed her lip a moment. "I'm going to come see her for a few minutes and then decide."

"Okay. See you in a bit."

* * *

Katniss walked up to the house and heard the yelling from several feet outside the door. She knocked loud enough for them to hear.

Becca opened the door and threw herself at Katniss. "Mama, Sam won't stop screaming."

"I hate you!" Sam called. "I hate all of you! No one cares about me. None of you do. I just want to run away!"

Gale opened his mouth to say something back, but noticed Katniss. "Maybe your mom can talk some sense into you."

Katniss looked around. "Where's Madge?"

"She left." Gale said. "We were trying to defuse the situation."

"She shouldn't have even been here." Sam said tearfully. "This is _our_ time."

Katniss draped an arm over Sam's shoulder. "Let's go for a walk."

Sam huffed and walked toward the front door, swiping her hoodie off the back of the couch as she went.

They were silent for several yards before Katniss finally said, "So she was walking around half naked."

"Well, she was mostly dressed." Sam said reluctantly.

"Mostly dressed?" Katniss asked, stopping at the corner.

Sam crossed her arms. "She's not you, Mom."

"No, she's not." Katniss gently squeezed Sam's arms. "Is that what this is all about?"

Sam looked back toward the house. "Maybe."

Pulling her into a hug, Katniss said, "No one's ever going to replace me, baby. I'm still your mom. I'm always going to be."

"What if Dad marries her?" Sam clung to her mother. "And they have babies?"

"I hope if they decide to get married they'll wait a while. But if they do, it's because they love each other." Katniss held Sam out at arm's length. "And if they have babies, it won't make your dad love you any less. Do you remember when we talked about that when we told you we were having Becca?"

Sam nodded.

"It's still true." Katniss kissed Sam's forehead and steered her back toward the house. "Now, I'll let you come home with me if you really want to. But I want you to really think about it."

Sam leaned against Katniss. "Dad said yesterday that we could make pizzas and rent some movies."

"Yeah?"

Sam nodded.

"So do you want to stay and make pizza?" Katniss squeezed her shoulders.

"If Madge doesn't come back for a while." Sam said softly.

"Talk to your dad about it. Calmly." They walked into the house. "But she won't stay away forever, she's your dad's soulmate."

Sam heaved a sigh. "I know."

"You should ask him about it. Maybe it will help you understand him better. Maybe you'll start to like Madge a little more."

Sam nodded.

"So are you staying or are you coming with me?" Katniss leaned against the doorframe.

"I think I want to stay." Sam said softly.

"Okay." Katniss kissed her temple and pulled her into a hug. "I can come back if you change your mind, okay?"

Sam nodded and walked with slumped shoulders down the hall.

"You should apologize to your dad." Katniss called after her.

"Sorry, Dad." Sam hollered from her room.

"Apology accepted." Gale said in her direction.

Becca wrapped her arms around Katniss's waist. "It's good to see you, Mama."

Katniss laughed and picked her up. "It's good to see you too." She kissed Becca's cheek. "Are you okay?"

Becca nodded. "Madge played dolls with me last night."

"I'm so glad." Katniss gave her a long squeeze and then sat her down. "I want to talk to your dad a minute, okay?"

"Okay!" Becca skipped off to the other room.

Gale stepped over. "Is everything fixed?"

"Patched. For a little bit." Katniss lowered her voice. "It's insecurity. She thinks Madge is going to replace me and that if you two have kids, she'll be next."

Gale nodded. "Sounds about right. I'll figure out some stuff for us to do together."

"Maybe we can do solo weeks a few times a year. One-on-one time is going to be very important, I think. Especially for Sam. But Becca is going to need it too."

"That's a great idea. Probably best in the summer so they don't get too much of each other."

Katniss laughed. "We'll talk more later." She looked at her phone when it vibrated with a message from Peeta. She looked up. "I talked to them a little about my past lives with Peeta. I think it helped. So telling them some of the basics might help Sam's acceptance of Madge."

"I'll do that." Gale promised.

After saying goodbye to her daughters, Katniss headed toward the bakery to meet Peeta.

* * *

Cara and Callie made a pile of sandwiches for all the bakery employees. There was a large variety of meats and cheeses and breads. They'd even made pitchers of lemonade and iced tea, both sweet and unsweet.

"Make sure everyone gets some food." Cara told Conrad as she sat the second of two plates down on the table used for decorating cakes.

"This is a lot of food." Conrad pulled her close. "You've been busy."

"It was Callie's idea." Cara said, shooting a proud look at the little girl.

Peeta plucked the stacks of paper plates from his daughter's hands. "Well, thank you, Cal-Pal. You and Grandma did a great job."

"Thanks!" Callie said. "I missed you, Daddy."

"You missed me? You were asleep the whole time." Peeta lifted Callie up and kissed her cheek. "But I promise that the new house is going to be perfect."

She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Good! Can we move in yet?"

"We'll start going through your stuff tonight." Peeta promised.

Katniss poked her head through the open back door.

The rope in the center of Peeta's chest tugged and he was pulling her through the door a moment later. He pressed a quick kiss to her lips. "Callie and Cara made sandwiches."

Conrad called, "Hey, Peanut, why don't you take a break?"

"You sure?" Peeta sat Callie on the floor. "We've got deadlines."

Conrad indicated the table. "Can't decorate cakes when the table's occupied."

Peeta chuckled. "True." He handed Callie a plate and sat a few sandwiches on it. Then he offered Katniss a plate while he put some on his own. "Cal, if you eat those sandwiches, maybe we can ask Grandpa for some chocolate chip cookies."

"I'll eat them all up." She promised, picking one up to take a bite.

Peeta chuckled. "You guys want to go outside. It's warm out today."

"Sure." Katniss said, accepting a cup of sweet tea.

Peeta took a cup of unsweet and followed Callie out the door. They walked across to the house and sat on the porch steps.

"How was your morning?" Katniss asked.

"I've been decorating so many cakes that I can see swags every time I close my eyes." He chuckled and held out his cup to Callie.

She took a sip and then handed it back. "Yuck, Daddy! Why don't you like sugar?"

He chuckled. "Just never have liked sugar in my tea."

"I'm going to get lemonade." Callie announced, running back toward the bakery.

"How was your morning?" Peeta asked once she was gone.

"I got a bow almost to the last step. And then Sam called and I had to help Gale with a sticky situation." She took a bite of her sandwich.

Peeta gave her a concerned look. "What happened?"

Katniss shook her head. "Just Madge being a little more comfortable than she should right now. She was walking around the house wearing Gale's t-shirt over her underwear. Sam wasn't happy with it. I'm not really happy with it. But it's handled."

"Probably is a little too much."

"Yeah." She grinned. "When I stay with you, I promise not to walk around the house like that."

"Same here."

She laughed. "I'm picturing you in my shirt."

He snorted. "What? I'd be cute."

She grabbed his face and planted a kiss on his lips. "You're cute enough already." She sat back.

Callie wandered back out, clutching a cup between her small hands.

"I'm glad you're in her life." Peeta said softly. "I know we're just starting, but I can tell you're going to be a great influence on her."

Katniss placed her hand on his knee. "Thank you."

He rested his hand on top of hers. "You're welcome."

They watched Callie as she sat in the middle of the yard and sipped from her cup.

"I think I'm going to quit working for the Hawthornes." Katniss said suddenly.

Peeta choked on the bite he'd just taken.

Katniss handed over his cup and pounded his back. "Are you okay?"

He nodded and took a sip. "Are you sure?"

"I am." She took their plates and sat them behind her. Moving closer, she wrapped her arms around him. "I need to extract myself from them. It's time."

He returned her embrace. "And what do you plan to do?"

"Well, I'm going to help them find a replacement. And I may do some stuff freelance." She looked toward Callie. "I think I want to coach archery. I was really good once. And I want to encourage others to do it."

"If you want to do that, I'll support you." He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I love you so much, Katniss. I want you to do what makes your life worth living."

"I think this will." She brushed a kiss over his lips and then sat back. "You should probably finish up so you can get back to work."

"Yeah." He picked up his plate. "I've been considering a change of my own."

"Oh, really?" She leaned back against the stair rail.

"I think I want to ask my dad if I can move to a different store front and just do cakes. All the other pastry are great sellers enough that sometimes fitting in the cakes is a little rough. Like there are times Dad has to go in after we're closed for the day to bake them so they are ready." He sipped his tea. "And then I'm taking up space to decorate them when someone could be using that table to roll out cookies or something."

"Do you think he'll agree?" She ran her fingers over the back of his neck.

"I think so." He leaned back into her hand. The buzz was comforting. He indicated the neighboring building. "I've kind of got my eye on that building, so we could probably work something out there. Donuts and pies and breads in the main building and then I can lead cakes in the other one."

"Well, I wish you luck in that conversation." She kissed his cheek and then rested her head against his.

Callie looked over and giggled.

"Can I ask something about Alex?" Katniss said softly.

"Sure." Peeta wrapped his arm around her waist.

"Were you two really affectionate?"

"She liked holding hands. She really liked hugs. And we did kiss hello and goodbye. We cuddled a lot." He rubbed her back. "I think it was mostly me though. Why?"

"I never really felt right being like that with Gale. And I think that was my issue there. This feels right." She kissed his cheek again and then sat back. "I need to go get some more work done. You and Callie want to come over to my place tonight? I make a mean mac and cheese."

"Sure. What time?"

"Around six?" Katniss lifted Callie up when she ran over. "You like macaroni and cheese, Callie?"

"I love it!" Callie exclaimed.

"Then I'll make some." Katniss smiled. "And some fried chicken and corn on the cob?"

Callie nodded and rubbed her belly. "It's gonna be yummy."

"So yummy." Katniss promised. She sat Callie on the ground and accepted Peeta's kiss. "I'll see you later."

"Later." He watched her walk away and then gathered up their things to head back to work.


	25. Chapter 25

_Author's note: There's just one more chapter and an epilogue after this! I'll post the last chapter probably Sunday. I have to do some things to the epilogue, so it may be a bit before you get there. But the story will still be complete without it._

 _Thanks so much to my beta JavisTG!_

 _Thanks also to my bestie and forever prereader writingbutunpublished!_

 _Happy reading!_

Chapter Twenty-Five

Gale opened the door for Peeta and Callie. "Oh, hey! Did you find the place okay?"

"Got a little turned around down the road, but Katniss talked us going in the right direction." Peeta's eyes fell on the woman in question across the room talking to her sister. He refocused on Gale. "Where should I put the cake?"

"Through here." Gale led him toward the kitchen. "Callie, Becca and her cousins are all out back." He pointed to a set of large glass doors.

Callie looked up at Peeta. "Can I go, Daddy?"

"Of course." Peeta said with a smile. "Be careful."

"Okay!" Callie called as she skipped outside, calling happily for her friend.

Gale slid the door closed behind her. "It's fenced in." He pointed. "No way out except through the house. Dad locked the gate. My nephews are escape artists." He patted an empty spot on the counter. "The cake can go here."

Peeta sat the box down. "I hope Sam likes it. I put in as many of the things she liked as possible."

Katniss came into the room and wrapped an arm round Peeta's waist. "Hey."

"Oh, hey." Peeta pressed a kiss to her cheek. "I was just about to show Gale the cake." He lifted the lid.

The cake looked like an open book. There were different characters and scenes both painted on the surface and sculpted to pop out.

"Wow!" Gale gasped. "That's awesome! You made that?"

Peeta nodded.

"Have you never seen any of Peeta's cakes?" Katniss asked. "He's an amazing artist."

"You're just saying that because you have to." Peeta said, trying to brush off the compliments.

"No, it's great, Peeta." Gale said. "Thanks." He held out his hand.

Peeta shook it. "No problem."

"Hey, come talk to Prim." Katniss said, pulling on Peeta's arm. "She wanted to talk to you about the nursery."

Peeta followed Katniss into the other room. On the way to Prim, Katniss introduced him to members of Gale's family and the parents of Sam's friends.

"Peeta!" Prim wrapped her arms around him in a warm hug.

"Hey, Prim. It's good to see you." Peeta hugged her back. "How's that baby growing?"

Prim placed her hand on her stomach. "She's still pretty tiny. But I've felt her start moving around a bit."

"That's exciting!" Peeta pulled Katniss close.

Prim smiled. "So we decided that we just want to do a zoo theme for Baby's room."

"Oh, that'll be cute." Peeta said. "I can paint a few things for it. Let me do a few sketches and I'll come over to talk next week?"

Prim nodded. "Cool. You still have my number, right?"

"Yes, I think so."

Sam ran over and tugged on Peeta's arm. "That cake looks too good to eat!" She exclaimed, throwing her arms around his waist.

Peeta patted her back. "I promise that it's delicious. Chocolate with strawberry filling just like you asked."

Sam looked up with a wide grin. "Thank you!" She wandered off with her friends to the kitchen to admire the cake some more.

"You want to get some air?" Katniss asked.

"Sure." Peeta turned to Prim. "See you in a bit."

Katniss picked up her coat and led Peeta out to the back porch to watch the kids play. Callie waved enthusiastically. Katniss smiled and waved back, leaning against the railing. "I can't believe Sam hugged you."

"I was a little shocked myself." Peeta leaned on the railing beside her. "How's everything going with her and Madge?"

"They're getting along a lot better." A smile spread across her lips. "She actually laughed at a joke Madge told while we were getting everything cleaned up around here."

Peeta rubbed her hand. "That's great."

"It is." Katniss rested her head on his shoulder. She sighed. "I love you."

He smiled to himself and kissed her head. "I love you too."

Hazelle called out the door, "Lunch is ready!"

The kids all ran inside. Katniss slipped her hand into Peeta's and followed them.

"Dad and Cara want Sam to come by so they can give her a present later." Peeta said as he got in line with Callie to help her make a plate.

"That's really sweet. We'll swing by this afternoon." Katniss picked up a plate and handed it to Becca. "You hold that tight and I'll fill it, okay?"

Becca nodded.

Katniss finished getting the plate filled and then carried it to the space where the rest of the kids were sitting. She got into the line after that and made her own plate. She found a spot beside Posy, who was sharing her plate with Jensen.

"I can't believe how big he's getting." Katniss said, tickling his cheek.

"I can't either. Seven months old tomorrow." Posy chuckled and handed him a fry to gnaw on. "So I started seeing this guy."

"Yeah?" Katniss bumped her shoulder. "Tell me."

"He's in one of my classes. We were paired up for an assignment. I had to bring Jensen because Mom and Dad were out on a date." Posy kissed the top of Jensen's head. "He didn't mind. Like at all. And he played with Jensen and held him while we were working. And then when we were done with our work, he asked if he could take me and Jensen to dinner."

"I'm so happy for you, Posy." Katniss said.

"By the way, you never told me Peeta was so cute." Posy said with a smirk.

Katniss glanced across to where Peeta sat with Rory and Vick. "I guess it slipped my mind."

"I wonder why Prim never mentioned it." Posy called to Prim, "Why didn't you ever tell me how cute Peeta is?"

The room quieted a moment. Katniss looked down at her plate to hide her blush. She heard

Peeta clear his throat. "Thanks for the compliment, Posy."

The room burst into laughter and then went back to their conversations.

"Sorry. Had to embarrass you just once." Posy nudged Katniss with her elbow. "I'm happy for you."

Katniss leaned in and whispered, "I honestly forget how cute he is because of all the other things I like about him. He's a great father and fantastic baker and cake decorator. He's a talented artist. And he cares about my girls as much as he cares for Callie."

Posy giggled. "I like seeing you like this, Katniss."

With a start, Katniss turned to Posy. "Like what?"

"In love." Posy said. "I never saw you like this with Gale. Ever."

Katniss nodded. There were many reasons for that, but it wasn't really something she wanted to discuss with Posy. Especially in the middle of Sam's birthday party.

* * *

Gale looked over to Madge in the passenger seat sitting with crossed arms.

"What's wrong?" Gale asked softly.

She sighed. "Do you think I'm trying too hard?"

He reached across the console and took her hand. "Becca really likes you. And Sam is warming up. It's just taking a little more time for her."

"But that doesn't answer my question. Am I trying too hard to get Sam to like me?"

Gale parked his truck along the side of the road and turned on the dome light. He turned to look at Madge, reaching out to take both her hands in his. "I don't think you intentionally try too hard. Sometimes you do, but that's because you don't want to miss out on how great my daughters are. And you just really want Sam to like you. It's understandable. You're both really great people. She's still got a lot to settle into. It's not easy." He pressed a kiss to her knuckles. "Just try to relax and be the real you. Because that's the version of you that I love."

Madge unbuckled her seatbelt and leaned across the console to grab his face. "I love you, too." She kissed him hard. "I'm so lucky to have found you again."

"We'll always find each other." He whispered. "Now, get back in your seat so I can get us home." He turned off the dome light as she settled back in.

* * *

Katniss dropped Becca and Sam off with Gale the next Friday. Becca jumped up into Gale's arms and kissed him on the cheek.

"Hi, Daddy! Did you miss me?" Becca asked with a giggle.

"I missed you very much, Becs." Gale hugged her and kissed her temple. "So, so much." He sat her down and opened his arms to Sam.

After a moment's hesitation, Sam leaned into her father's hug.

"How's my ten-year-old?" Gale asked, rubbing her back. "I missed you this week."

"I missed you too." She wrapped her arms around him. "Is Madge coming?"

"Not today." Gale said. "We're having a couple days to us."

"She can come over." Sam said, looking up at him. "I don't mind."

"Are you sure?" Gale smoothed his hands over her hair. "I don't want you to have a bad time."

"She's your soulmate. And Mom said it's important for you to be together to recharge."

"It is important." Gale kissed her forehead. "But I won't invite her over tonight. I want it to be just us, okay?"

Sam nodded, a smile spreading across her face. "I can't wait!"

Gale gave Sam a little squeeze and then looked toward Katniss. "Can I talk to your mom alone for a minute?"

"Yep!" Becca picked up her backpack and skipped to her bedroom.

Sam nodded and wandered off to her room.

"Are you really planning on leaving?" Gale asked softly.

Katniss nodded. "I've been thinking about it for a while. It's uncomfortable now. And I feel like none of it was ever really supposed to be mine."

"You really did just go along with all of it. I'm sorry you felt like it was all expected. I never wanted that."

"I haven't hated it." She said softly. "Not a minute of our life together. Or anything about the job. It just wasn't mine."

He leaned against the wall. "So what are you going to do?"

She smiled. "I'm going to coach archery."

His eyes widened. "Really? That's awesome!"

"Yeah, I talked to the owner of the range and I have blocked off a couple afternoons a week where I have half the place for my coaching." She leaned against the wall beside him. "I could use a little help every once in a while after I get going. From someone _almost_ as good as me."

He laughed. "I'd love to come show off my skills."

"Thanks." Katniss pushed off from the wall. "I'm really excited."

"I'm proud for you." Gale opened his arms.

She stepped into his hug. "I'm going to miss being in the shop every day. But I'm not going away for good yet." She stepped away. "I worked out with your folks a freelance contract. So I'll still be making special orders a few days a week. But I'm going to be doing it from home. Well, from Peeta's home. He has a shed he's going to let me convert into a shop at one end."

"And most of those tools are yours, so that's good." He grinned. "This is great. I'm so happy for you, Catnip."

"I've been agonizing over it for a while." Katniss headed for the hall. "I'm glad that I'm not completely cutting off that part of me yet." She called, "Girls, I'm leaving."

Sam ran out of her room and threw her arms around Katniss's waist. "I love you, Mom."

Katniss hugged Sam tight. "I love you, baby. So much." She kissed Sam's temple. "Call me before bed, okay? And have a great week at school."

"Okay." Sam gave her mother one more squeeze and then went back to her room, closing the door firmly behind her.

Becca jumped up into Katniss's arms.

"Oh, my sweet Rebecca." Katniss sighed. "I sure do love you."

"I love you, too, Mama." Becca kissed her cheek. "Make sure to give Callie another hug for me."

Katniss smiled. "Don't worry, I'll make sure Callie knows how much you love her."

"And Peeta." Becca said. "Tell Peeta I love him too."

"Okay, I promise." Katniss pressed a kiss to Becca's forehead and then sat her down.

"Daddy, can we go to McDonald's for supper?" Becca asked sweetly.

Gale chuckled. "Sure." He worked the muscle in his jaw. "Go tell Sam to get her shoes back on."

Katniss patted Becca's back. "I'll talk to you later, baby."

Becca skipped down the hall.

Katniss squeezed Gale's arm. "The other day, Becca said to me that she was very excited to have two moms and two dads that love her lots and lots."

"They do." Gale said thickly. "We do."

"Yeah, we do." Katniss grinned. "Becca loves Madge, too. She told me so." She glanced down the hall. "And Sam. She's just not ready to admit it."

"Thanks, Katniss." He smiled at the girls walking down the hall. "I guess we're ready to go for food."

"You guys have fun." Katniss gave her daughters one more hug and then headed out the door.


	26. Chapter 26

_Author's note: This is the final chapter, y'all. Be ready for some awesomeness! Epilogue to come very soon. I did some reworking there and sent it back to my beta for her notes. So when I get that back, I'll be editing and posting as soon as possible._

 _Speaking of my beta, a huge shout-out to JavisTG for taking up beta duties when my first beta Everlylark had to step away. You are both fantastic ladies and I thank you for helping me get this story written._

 _I also want to thank my bestie writingbutunpublished who reads everything I write and tells me when I need to get things moving forward when I just want to drag my feet._

 _And I want to thank you, my dear readers, for sticking with me through the end. I can't wait to hear what you think of this final chapter._

 _Happy reading!_

Chapter Twenty-Six

Katniss and her girls moved in with Peeta in early fall. Becca was excited to be sharing a room with her bestest friend. Sam was just happy she could still have her own space. Peeta even promised to paint her a few pictures to decorate her walls. Anything she wanted.

One weekend in late fall, Peeta was stretched out on the couch with his head resting on Katniss's stomach. She combed her fingers through his hair and he caught one of her hands to bring to his lips.

Callie and Becca giggled.

Sam lowered her book to look over, rolled her eyes, and went back to reading.

The little girls continued to giggle.

"What's so funny over there?" Katniss asked.

"Nothing." Callie said. They laughed some more.

"Doesn't sound like nothing." Peeta lifted his head and looked at the two younger girls. "What is it?"

"We want to know when you're getting married." Becca giggled.

Katniss laughed. "Next Friday."

Peeta turned his head to her. "You serious?"

Katniss shrugged. "You wanna?"

Peeta nodded and returned his head to her stomach. "Sounds good. We should do it in the yard between Dad's house and the bakery."

"And not a lot of guests." Katniss went back to combing her fingers through his hair. "Our girls, your parents, my sister and Rory."

"Works for me." Peeta pulled Katniss's leg around his waist and messaged her foot.

Sam dropped her book. "Do we have to get all dressed up like we're supposed to for Daddy's wedding?"

"I don't think so." Katniss said. "I could buy a simple dress." She leaned down and kissed Peeta's forehead. "You should wear those one jeans I like you in."

Peeta grinned up at her. "Sure thing." He looked toward Sam. "Wear your favorite outfit."

"So I can wear my princess dress?" Becca asked.

"You can definitely wear your princess dress." Peeta chuckled.

Later, after they finally got the girls all asleep, Katniss settled into bed beside Peeta.

"Are we seriously getting married next week?" Peeta asked, pulling her against his side.

"If you want to." Katniss kissed his cheek. "I mean, we don't have to, I just thought—"

"I want to." He rested his forehead against hers. "It's not like we haven't talked about it before. Especially with Gale and Madge planning their big thing."

"I don't want Madge to think I'm stealing her thunder." She sat back. "That's my main concern. Along with worrying that it's too soon."

"You've been split from Gale for almost a whole year."

"Yeah, but what will people say?"

"Nothing worse than has already been said." Peeta pulled her close. "Now, let's celebrate this engagement quickly before one of those girls decides she'll sleep better pushing us off the bed."

Katniss laughed and rolled on top of him, slipping her hand down his boxers.

* * *

Katniss picked up all three girls from school the following Friday and brought them home to get changed into their wedding attire. Katniss and Peeta had both taken the day off to get things set up, though there wasn't much.

The little girls played in their bedroom while Katniss braided her hair around her head. Sam sat on the bed and watched her.

"Mom, is this really our house now? For good?" Sam asked.

"Yes." Katniss turned and tucked the ends of the intricate braid in. "Is that okay?"

Sam nodded. "I like my bedroom here."

Katniss sat on the side of the bed. "But?"

"Are you and Peeta gonna have babies?" Sam asked softly.

Katniss wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "We haven't decided yet. But if we do, we'll take a lot of time for all of us to get used to the idea. And it takes a while for the baby to grow anyway." She kissed Sam's temple. "You get the bedroom downstairs if we do, though. Peeta and I did decide that."

"Peeta's studio?" Sam looked up with wide eyes. "But where will he paint?"

"He'll find a place." Katniss combed her fingers through Sam's hair. "But that room is a little bigger and when you get older, you can have even more privacy. And you have your own half bath downstairs. We could even see about pushing it out a bit into the den to add in a shower."

"But only if you have a baby?" Sam asked.

Katniss shrugged. "We can talk about it for you when you're a little older if we decide not to have a baby after all. So Becca and Callie can get their own rooms too. We'll see." She gave Sam a squeeze. "Want me to braid your hair?"

Sam nodded.

Katniss gave all the girls French braids and sent them off to put on the outfits they'd picked out the night before. Sam was wearing jeans and her favorite red shirt. Becca and Callie both decided they wanted to wear their princess dresses from their Halloween costumes.

Katniss pulled on the dress she'd bought the day before with Prim's help. It was a soft orange, Peeta's favorite color, and went to just below her knee. It had a scoop neckline and three quarter sleeves. She paired it with white flats.

"You're so pretty, Mama." Becca said in wonder when Katniss walked out of the bedroom.

Katniss smiled. "Thank you, Becca. So are you."

"But no, Mama, you're the most beautiful woman ever!" Becca wrapped her arms around Katniss's waist.

"Daddy's jaw is gonna fall to the floor." Callie said in wonder.

Katniss chuckled. "You think so?"

Callie nodded.

Katniss rubbed Becca's back and leaned down to kiss her forehead. She did the same to Callie. Then she pulled Sam in for a tight hug. "I'm glad you all approve. Let's get going. Peeta's probably wondering where we are."

The bakery was closed early for the ceremony. Peeta and Katniss had set up mismatched chairs for the guests. They draped ribbon around the roof and railing of the front steps to the house. When Katniss pulled into the driveway, she saw that everyone was already there. _Good, we can get started right away._

Peeta smiled and walked over to the car. He opened Katniss's door. "Go find seats, girls." He looked over his bride. "Wow."

"You think it looks good while I'm sitting, you should see the full effect." She held out her arms for him to help her down.

He grabbed her waist and lifted her out of her SUV. He looked her up and down, giving an appreciative not. Then he pulled her close and kissed her deeply. "The JP is here and ready whenever we are."

"I'm so ready." She pressed a kiss to his lips. "I love you. I can't wait to be your wife."

"And I can't wait to be your husband." He let go of her and slipped his hand into hers.

They walked up to the steps. The ceremony took all of ten minutes. The rings Katniss and Peeta picked were simple bands of silver. When they kissed, everyone cheered. Even baby Iris let out a soft coo.

They walked out to meet their family.

Becca jumped up into Peeta's arms and kissed his cheek. "Welcome to our family, Peeta."

Peeta chuckled and gave her a hug. "I'm so glad to be part of it, Becca."

Callie lifted her arms up to Katniss. "Will you hold me, Katniss?"

With a smile, Katniss swooped the little girl up into her arms. "And what are you thinking, Miss Callie?"

"That I'm happy we're in this family all together." Callie grinned. "Now we need a baby brother."

Katniss laughed. "Did your Uncle Rory put you up to that one?" She looked toward her brother-in-law who made a big show of talking to his baby girl.

Sam laughed. "Uncle Rory said we need more boys."

"Well, maybe in a year or two." Peeta said.

"Or three or four." Katniss leaned over and Peeta met her for a kiss. She sat Callie down. "How about some food? I'm starving."

The girls ran inside the house for the table that Cara set up. She had spent all day putting together an array of finger foods for snacking on all evening.

There was a lot of laughing and stories. And quite a bit of kissing on Katniss and Peeta's part.

Every time Peeta and Katniss leaned in for a kiss, Callie and Becca giggled. Katniss looked across to Sam to see her smiling.

Katniss crooked her finger at her older daughter. Sam walked over and Katniss pulled her onto her lap. Sam wrapped her arms around Katniss's neck.

"Are you having a good time?" Katniss asked softly.

Sam nodded. "Yeah."

"Good." Katniss pressed a kiss to her cheek.

Peeta leaned over. "Hey, Sam, you want to help me get the cake from the bakery?"

Sam worked the muscle in her jaw a moment. "I don't know."

"Well, you had a hand in decorating, you should be part of the big reveal. Don't you think?" Peeta smiled. "We'll get my dad to help with the heavy lifting, but we could use your help with the doors."

Sam nodded again. "Okay."

Katniss kissed Sam's cheek before she stood and followed Peeta and Conrad out the door.

Prim and Iris took Peeta's empty seat. "Iris wants her Aunt Katniss."

"She does?" Katniss scooped the tiny baby into her arms. "Hello, sweet Iris. How's my adorable niece?"

"She slept for five hours last night." Prim said, kissing her daughter's forehead. "Had Mommy and Daddy worried for a bit."

Katniss grinned down at the baby in her arms. "Well, I hope you keep it up. You were turning Mommy and Daddy into zombies."

Prim laughed. "It was getting pretty bad."

The door opened and Sam called, "Here comes the cake."

Katniss stood and carried Iris toward the table that Cara cleared. Peeta and Conrad sat it down and stepped back. Katniss was floored by the beautiful simplicity. There were Katniss plants around the edges with little paint brushes and pencils scattered throughout.

"It's beautiful." Katniss said softly. "You did such a great job."

"Sam helped a lot." Peeta pointed out the art supplies. "She made those with modeling chocolate. Even got to paint them." He draped an arm over Sam's shoulders.

"Sam-Sam, they are so good." She dropped a kiss to the top of her head. Then she turned to Peeta. She gently cupped his cheek with her free hand. She whispered, "Thank you so much. For the cake and for everything. You're the best man I could have ever hoped for. To marry me and to be stepfather to my girls."

"Have to thank whatever powers made us soulmates." He leaned in and kissed her softly. "I love you."

"I love you too." She whispered, her voice thick with tears.

Prim stepped close. "Hey, why don't you give me my baby so you two can cut the cake?"

Katniss laughed and handed Iris back to her sister. She threw her arms around Peeta's neck and gave him a long, lingering kiss as the crowd whooped.

* * *

Gale sent Katniss a text later that evening. _Here for the girls._

She glanced out the window to see him parked behind her. _Heading out. Got a minute to chat?_

 _Sure._ He responded.

Sam and Becca ran out the front door and headed for Katniss's SUV to get their bags. Katniss stepped out of the house a few seconds behind them.

Gale slipped out of the front seat and nodded. "You look good."

Katniss smiled. "Thanks." She smoothed her hands down the skirt. "How are your wedding plans going?"

He rolled his eyes. "Don't ask. I almost wish Madge had decided to go this route." He indicated the ribbons on the porch railing. "We're still trying to find the right venue for the reception, even though I have told her a million times that my parents' house would work. Or the fellowship hall at the church."

"This is her only wedding. She wants the memories." Katniss opened her arms for her girls when they came near. "You'll be fine. You survived the first time around."

"Because you and I agreed on the easy things." He waved at Peeta on the porch. "Where's Callie staying?"

"Here with her grandparents." Katniss kissed the tops of her daughters' heads. "Why don't you two go inside and tell everyone bye?"

The girls ran inside, pausing to hug Peeta on the stairs. Peeta walked down the steps.

"How you doing?" Peeta asked as the men shook hands.

"Good. You?" Gale asked.

"Never better." Peeta wrapped his arm around Katniss's waist. "We wanted to know if you would watch Callie for a couple days this week. My dad and stepmom are gearing up to go out of town for their anniversary next weekend."

Katniss added, "Prim and Rory offered, but Iris is still so small, we don't want to impose."

Gale nodded. "Oh, sure. No problem. Just let me know which days."

"Well, she's here with my folks for now, but they're leaving out early Thursday. Probably Wednesday and Thursday."

"I can do that, yeah. Just get her from school with Becs and Sami?" Gale asked.

Peeta breathed out a sigh of relief. "Yes. Thank you. I'll make the call so she can go with you."

Katniss added, "And we'll get her on Friday after school."

"Okay. Good." Gale smiled. "Should be interesting."

"She'll fit in just fine." Katniss smiled. "Thank you so much, Gale. We really appreciate it."

"No problem." Gale patted her arm. "Are you guys going anywhere?"

Peeta chuckled. "Katniss convinced me we needed to rent a camper and rough it for a few days out in the wild."

"Oh, you'll have fun." Gale said.

Peeta chuckled. "I know we will. I just haven't gone camping since I was a Boy Scout."

Becca and Sam came out the front of the house with Callie hot on their heels. "Do they have to go?" Callie whined.

"Sorry, kiddo." Gale said. "But you're going to come stay with me a few days later in the week and you'll see Becca a lot sooner than normal."

Callie's eyes widened. "Really?" She looked up at Peeta. "Is it true, Daddy?"

"Yep. Gale said you can stay there. He'll get you from school Wednesday and you'll stay that night and Thursday. And then on Friday, me or Katniss will get you from school. Okay?"

"Okay!" She hugged Becca. "See you at school!" She skipped off toward the house again.

"Thank you again, Gale." Peeta said. "We really appreciate it." He held out his arms for Becca. "Can I get one more hug?"

Becca and Sam both gave Peeta another hug.

"See you Friday. Have fun with your dad." Peeta shook Gale's hand once more and then gently scratched Katniss's back before he went back inside.

Katniss hugged her girls close, whispering in their ears how much she loved them. After another round of kisses, they loaded up in the truck. Katniss watched as Gale backed out of the drive and headed down the road.

Katniss stepped into the house and right into Peeta's arms. "I'm ready to get back home with you." She whispered.

"Yes, ma'am." Peeta made a very quick excuse and they said their goodbyes.

Callie wouldn't let go of Peeta for several minutes. She cried, "But I'm going to miss you, Daddy."

"I'll miss you, too." Peeta said. "But you'll have such a good week. And it's only seven days until I see you again, okay? And we can talk every night before you go to bed."

"Promise?" Callie asked.

"Promise." Peeta kissed her cheek and sat her down.

With one more wave, Peeta and Katniss were out the door. She drove as quickly as possible. She was ready to get him alone. The house was quiet for once. Even when it was just Callie, there always seemed to be constant noise.

Katniss leaned against the closed door as she kicked off her shoes. "Woo! What a day!"

Peeta leaned his hands on either side of her head. "We got married today."

"We did." She slipped her fingers into his belt loops and pulled him forward. "You're sure it's okay I don't change my name again?"

He kissed her softly. "You just changed it back to Everdeen a few months ago. I don't expect you to change it again so quickly." He kissed her again. "Or ever."

"Thank you." She slipped her hands under his shirt. Sparks jumped into her fingertips as they brushed over his skin. "I'm so happy, Peeta. You make me so happy."

"You make me happy, too." He leaned in and gave her another kiss, deeper than the last, and pulled her body close to feel his arousal. "Let's go up to our room."

She slipped out of her arms. "Come get me." She dashed up the stairs with a giddy laugh.

He laughed along with her and followed, catching her around the waist just inside the bedroom. He pressed his mouth to her neck as he lowered the zipper at the back of her dress. His lips traveled around the back of her neck to her shoulder as the dress fell to the floor.

She reached back and tangled her fingers in his hair as his hands roamed over her body. She was on fire. And she was aching for him.

She turned in his arms and quickly relieved him of his clothes. She pulled him toward the bed. "We're going to have an amazing long life together this time around."

"We are." He laid her out on the bed and pulled off her panties. He pressed kisses along her thighs and stomach. "I've wanted to get my mouth on you all evening."

Katniss bit her lip and combed her fingers through Peeta's hair. "I just want you inside me already."

He chuckled and stood, shucking his boxers in the process. "I can make that happen."

She moved up onto the bed and gave him a sexy smirk. "Well?"

He laughed and stretched out over her. "Ruthie," he sighed, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Robert." He kissed her nose. "Patience." He kissed her cheek. "Aida." He kissed her other cheek. "Katniss." His mouth made contact with hers and sparks flew between them.

He slipped inside her and she let out a loud moan. "It always feels so good."

"Because we were made for each other." He started moving slowly. "Body and soul."

Katniss gripped at Peeta's skin, digging her nails in. She wanted him to crawl inside her. It wasn't enough. It was too much. It was everything.

She closed her eyes and threw her head back, crying out a string of names. She came back down whispering, "Peeta. My Peeta."

"Yes, Katniss." He panted. "I'm yours. Completely lost to you and I don't mind." He kissed her and moved away.

She slipped her hand into his. "There are so many days I've wished to go back to our pasts and fix it. But I don't think our life now would be nearly as satisfying."

"You're right." He rolled into her. "Everything is perfectly in place now. I will fight tooth and nail to keep you and to make us work in this lifetime."

She wrapped her body around him. "I'll fight right by your side." She brushed her lips against his as her eyes slowly fell shut. "I love you."

"I love you too." He whispered back. He pulled the blanket over them and ran his fingers up and down her spine. They fell asleep wrapped up in the comfort of their promise.

* * *

 _Post chapter note: I accidentally paraphrased Evanescence. Peeta's line "Completely lost to you and I don't mind." sounds an awful lot like the the line in Good Enough "I've completely lost myself and I don't mind." That was a totally subconscious thing since I feel like Good Enough is one of the most Everlark songs to exist. You should go listen to it and let me know if you agree. :)_


	27. Epilogue

_Author's note: Thanks so much for sticking through to the end of this story. I hope this epilogue brings you joy._

 _Many thanks to both my betas through this entire story Everlylark and JavisTG. This story wouldn't be the same without your input from start to finish. Thanks so, so much!_

 _Thank you a million times to my bestie and prereader writingbutunpublished. You definitely helped keep me on track at times when I thought of doing more than necessary to this fic._

 _And thanks again, you lovely readers, for every bit of feedback you have given through this story._

 _Happy reading!_

Epilogue

Elizabeth Everdeen-Mellark came into the world screaming just shy of Katniss and Peeta's fifth anniversary.

Sam, Becca, and Callie all gathered close to meet their new sister.

Peeta held her out so they could see better. "What do you think?"

"She looks a lot like Katniss." Callie said.

"Yeah, and a good thing, too." Sam said, giving her stepfather a teasing grin. "Who needs another one of you wandering around?"

"Gee, thanks, Sam." Peeta said with a chuckle. "What are you thinking, Becca?"

"I'm thinking I just really want a brother." Becca looked up at Peeta. "You're going to have more, right?"

Peeta let out a guffaw. "You don't think four is enough?"

Becca shrugged. "Sam will graduate soon, so you can just have another one then." She looked down at her new baby sister again. "But she is cute."

"Thank you." Peeta gave each of his older girls a kiss on the cheek. "You can go in and see your mom in a few minutes. I'll let you know." He turned with Beth close to his chest and made his way back to Katniss.

* * *

Sam graduated from high school as valedictorian. She got a full scholarship to a college in the neighboring state. Katniss cried buckets on the day they moved her in.

"I can't believe my oldest daughter is a college freshman." Katniss sobbed as they drove away.

Peeta squeezed her hand. "It just means more room for the new baby."

She gave a watery laugh. "She wasn't too happy with that news."

"The other girls will be." He kissed her knuckles. "You weren't when you took that test."

"We decided we were done." She lifted her finger to trace the width of his smiling lips. "Four kids. Four was a good number."

"Five will be just as good." He assured her. "And now Beth is potty trained, so diapers should be no problem."

"We're never going to be away from the diapers!" Katniss grumbled.

"Of course we will. For the next few months, at least." Peeta chuckled and kissed her hand again. "And maybe this one will be a boy."

"Becca has brothers. She can finally stop begging us for one."

"Yeah, I can't believe Gale and Madge had twins."

She laughed. "We pretty much do with our middle girls." She rested her hand on her stomach a moment. "I'm glad we decided to have another. I like you in Dad Mode. Especially when they're small."

"I wanted a big family. I'm glad you let me live my dream." He stopped at a red light.

"Well, you don't make me be the sole caretaker, so I'm totally fine with it." She let out a large yawn.

He glanced over just before he started forward under the green light. "Why don't you sleep? You've been restless all week."

She nodded and leaned her seat back. "I sure do love you."

"I love you too." He rested his hand on her thigh as she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Peeta bounced Ben on his knee while Beth told him a story.

"And then Ben had bad poop in his diaper!" Beth said seriously

Katniss walked in just then. "She was a very big helper about it." She pressed a kiss to Peeta's lips as she passed. "Beth even helped Ben take a bath afterward."

"Yeah, it was yucky!" Beth made a disgusted face.

Peeta laughed. "Well, that's what big sisters are for, right?"

Becca and Callie came through the front door talking rapidly. They waved and walked into the room they shared.

Katniss held out her arms for Ben. "Your night to cook supper."

Peeta heaved a dramatic sigh. "Fine. But Callie and Becca are supposed to help."

The teens called, "What?"

"Come help with supper." Peeta called back.

Becca came into the kitchen. "Callie has a lot of math homework." She went to the sink to wash her hands.

"Does she really?" Peeta asked. "Or is she just saying that so she can talk with her boyfriend?"

"She really does." Becca said. "Would I lie?"

Katniss scoffed. "Do you really want an answer to that one?" She bounced Ben.

Becca sighed and amended, "Okay, would I lie now after how much I got in trouble for lying about getting a speeding ticket?"

"You better not." Peeta warned. He handed her a bag of potatoes. "Peel those, please? And chop up for mashed potatoes."

"You got it, Pops!" Becca started working.

Katniss sat Ben in the floor of the living room and handed him some toys. She asked Beth to play with her brother for a while and then went to see about Callie.

"Math homework?" Katniss asked.

Callie looked up from her lap desk, pencil stuck between her teeth. "It's kicking my ass pretty hard this year, Katniss."

With a smile, Katniss sat beside Callie and looked over her shoulder. "You've never been big on math." She took Callie's pencil and erased the answer on the last problem. "You skipped a step."

Katniss walked Callie through all the steps of each problem, but she made it through just as Peeta called them in to eat supper.

"I'll make sure you pass this class, even if it kills me." Katniss promised as they walked into the kitchen.

"Thanks, Katniss." Callie took the stack of plates from Becca and set the table.

"No problem." Katniss picked Ben up off the floor. "Hey, Ben, did you tell Daddy your new word yet?"

"New word?" Peeta leaned down. "What new word?"

"Oh, we've been working on it for days." Katniss smiled. "Ben, can you say 'baby' for Daddy and your sisters? Baby?"

Ben smiled, but refused to say the word his mother prompted.

"Baby?" Peeta smiled. "Have you and Beth been playing babies?"

"A little bit." Katniss looked around the room. All activity stopped. "Ben, can you tell Daddy and your sisters 'Mommy's having a baby?'"

"You're not!" Becca said, a wide grin on her face.

"Ben isn't even a year old!" Callie's face was full of disbelief.

Peeta was in a state of shock.

Beth tugged on his arm, "Daddy, why do you look like that?"

Peeta picked Beth up and placed a hand on Katniss's cheek. "Are you being serious?"

Katniss nodded with tears in her eyes. "I thought it was something else, so I went to the doctor and—"

Peeta interrupted her with a kiss. "We'll be okay."

"I never believed we wouldn't be." Katniss said softly.

They finished settling in for supper, both the older girls completely silent.

Peeta, however, chattered on. "Ben and the new baby can share a room. We can move Beth into the other bedroom. I'm sure Sam won't mind."

"We talked about adding on." Katniss pointed out, offering a spoon of mashed potatoes to Ben. "We could make a little in-law suite that can be just Sam's when she comes home. With a little kitchenette and bathroom."

"I like that idea." Peeta turned to Beth. "You know how to eat mashed potatoes, Elizabeth. Stop making a mess."

"Sorry, Daddy." Beth said meekly.

"Are you two ever going to stop?" Becca asked a little harshly.

Katniss looked over and gave her daughter a reassuring smile. "We're definitely not going to have any more after this one. Don't worry, your inheritance won't be stretched any further."

Callie snorted. "Inheritance?"

"The sporting goods company is flourishing." Katniss said. "And I still have enough skin in that game that all you kids get a decent portion of it when I go."

"And then there's the cake shop _and_ the bakery." Peeta added. "You guys will all be fine." He reached over and patted Katniss's stomach. "Even this little peanut."

Katniss covered his hand with hers. "God, I love you."

Peeta leaned over and kissed her.

Becca laughed. "You know, you two have really ruined my ideas about how relationships could go. Even if I meet my soulmate, I'll never be able to match up."

Callie nodded. "Yep, you've really changed up the expectations."

"Good, then neither of you will ever get married." Peeta said. He leaned over and kissed Katniss again.

* * *

"Katniss, they're here." Peeta called into the shop.

Katniss stretched her fingers out as she put down the spindle she'd been sanding. Her hands got stiff a lot more these days. The crib she was making for Beth's baby was almost done. It just needed final sanding and staining.

This would be their fourth grandchild. Sam had two and Callie had one. Becca swore she didn't want any kids. Ben and Nate were still in high school, so Katniss was hopeful it would still be at least a couple more years until they even considered children. There was plenty of time.

Katniss stepped into the house and was attacked around the knees by her granddaughter. "Well, hello, June-bug." She lifted the tiny 7-year-old into her arms and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

"Hi, Grandma!" June said happily. "Were you making something out there?"

"A crib for your cousin." Katniss put her down and held open her arms to Ethan as he toddled inside holding Sam's hand. "There's my little man."

"Gamma!" Ethan exclaimed and ran to her arms.

"Where's Dave?" Katniss asked, pressing a kiss to Ethan's cheek.

"Right here." Dave walked into the house behind Peeta, both of them loaded down with bags. "It looks like it's about to start coming down out there. I hope everyone else makes it safely."

"They'll be okay." Katniss kissed Ethan again and then put him down. She smoothed a hand over June's hair. "I'm going to change out of my sawdust covered clothes." She walked by and squeezed Sam's hand. "I'll be right down."

Katniss changed quickly, combing the dust out of her hair as best she could. She heard the door open and an excited exclamation from Sam.

Surprisingly, Anton, the young man Callie met and fell in love with, was Sam's soulmate. It had been a source of fear for Sam for a while. With her parents' soulmates being romantic, she was so scared of breaking up her marriage and her stepsister's relationship. But they decided to be up-front from the moment they felt the spark and it resulted in a close friendship.

Katniss walked down the stairs to see the happy reunion. Peeta held Reed above his head. The baby reached down toward his grandfather, letting out a sweet little giggle. Peeta pulled Reed against his chest and kissed his head.

Katniss walked over and rubbed Reed's cheek. "There's our current youngest."

"Not for much longer." Beth waddled through the door.

"You're huge! Are you going to make it through this weekend?" Sam commented, patting her sister's stomach.

"I don't know. I hope so. My doctor is two hours away." Beth lowered herself between Ben and Nate on the love seat. "How's it going?"

"Pretty good." Ben said.

"Better than you." Nate rubbed Beth's belly and laughed. "That one didn't like my joke."

"No, she's just not too happy that we had to ride that whole way. She likes me to move around." Beth sighed and looked toward her husband. "Hey, Phil, will you bring me my lumbar pillow from the car? I forgot to pick it up."

"Sure thing." Phil turned and stepped out. He poked his head back in. "Snow's starting." He was out again.

"Has anyone heard from Becca?" Katniss asked.

Peeta took out his phone. "Text a half hour ago that she was just about done with work."

Katniss looked out the window. "Hope she gets here soon."

"She'll be fine." Peeta wrapped his arms around her for behind. "She's the most cautious one of all our kids." He kissed her cheek and then stepped back.

The touch of Peeta's lips against her cheek sent a wave of calm through Katniss. "She's also the most headstrong."

Phil came inside and helped settle Beth. He brushed his fingers over her cheek and she let out a long breath. Katniss was so happy with the soulmates their kids had found so far.

"Can we decorate the tree yet, Grandma?" June asked.

"Let's wait a bit more for Aunt Becca." Katniss smoothed her hand down her granddaughter's hair. "I need to go close up my shop."

Peeta followed her outside. "Hey, Katniss." He closed the door to the shop and grabbed her hand. "Hey, are you okay?"

"I'm anxious about everything with Leslie. Becca didn't tell them anything. I just don't want her to be hurt."

"She won't be hurt. Everyone will like Leslie as much as we do." He pulled her close and smoothed her hair out of her face. "And they're soulmates. I think everyone will forgive the elopement for that." He pressed a soft kiss to her lips. "Come on, let's close this down. I'll make some hot chocolate and get supper started."

Katniss unplugged all her tools and put them away. She pushed the parts of the crib off to the side and covered it with a drop cloth. "I can sweep later." She took Peeta's hand and followed him inside.

Peeta went to the kitchen and set up the hot chocolate and then he got out the ingredients for a large pot of chili.

The hot chocolate was being passed around when the door opened and Becca poked her head around it. "Hey, did you save some of that for me?"

"Aunt Becca!" June called, setting her mug on the coffee table.

Becca grabbed the little girl up in her arms and hugged her tight before pulling Ethan up and kissing his little face. She leaned over Reed and brushed her fingers over his cheeks. She went around the room hugging everyone else. She wrapped her arms around Katniss last.

"Where is she?" Katniss whispered.

"I asked her to wait outside a minute." Becca whispered back. "I've been so nervous all day." She turned toward the front door.

"Well, hello." Peeta said kindly to the young woman standing just inside. "You can come inside, we won't bite."

The young woman nodded and held out her hand to Peeta. "Yes, that's me. Nice to finally meet you in person, Mr. Mellark."

"Peeta, please." Peeta shook her hand warmly. "Nice to meet you too, Leslie."

Katniss smiled and greeted Leslie. "Hey, you're a real person."

"Definitely not some hired actress." Leslie said with a deep Southern drawl. She looked around the room. "I've never been around other soulmates before."

"Oh, you're in for an interesting weekend, then." Peeta said. "There are four sets of us here now."

"Have you met Gale and Madge yet?" Katniss asked.

"We're going over there tomorrow." Becca said, slipping her hand into Leslie's. "Before all the big festivities."

Sam cleared her throat. "Um, there are other people here, sis."

Becca pulled Leslie into the living room. "Guys, this is my soulmate Leslie."

Everyone started to stand to greet the newcomer, but Becca stopped them.

"She's also my wife." Becca's voice shook.

The room exploded in a louder chorus of excitement as they all tripped over themselves to hug Becca and Leslie.

Katniss and Peeta exchanged a proud look. They had both been worried Becca's siblings would be judgmental about the situation. But they were now asking questions about how they met and what they knew of their other lives together.

Peeta slipped his arm around Katniss's waist. "We did a pretty good job, didn't we?" He said softly.

"We did." She looked up at him. "I can't wait to see what the rest of this life has in store for us." She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a deep kiss.

Their kids started whooping.

Everyone but Nate who called, "Ah, get a room!"

Peeta broke the kiss and looked at the group. "Chili should be ready soon and then we can decorate the tree." He kissed Katniss again and then sat down in the floor and gathered Reed close. Ethan and June piled on.

Katniss sat beside Leslie. She smiled around the room at her family. It was growing so much by the day. She and Peeta really had done well this time around.


End file.
